Fleeing at the First Sign of Trouble

"Mm, that's the right method." Chi Defeng nodded and said, "When you encounter a Weird, either your cultivation is deep enough to wear it down directly, or you run. If you can't run, then there's no other way."

"Can Weirds cause hallucinations?" Chen Fei suddenly asked.

"You even ran into one at that level?" Chi Defeng looked at Chen Fei in surprise.

"I'm not sure." Chen Fei shook his head.

"Weirds are indeed divided by level and strength. The kind that can cause hallucinations are the most troublesome."

Chi Defeng thought for a moment, then ran to another room. A moment later, he reappeared with a Secret Manual in hand and passed it to Chen Fei.

Chen Fei looked at Chi Defeng in puzzlement.

"Heart Cleansing Art."

"From the Immortal Cloud Sword Sect?"

"How could every technique be from the Immortal Cloud Sword Sect?"

Chi Defeng could not help laughing and cursing, then said, "I don't know which Sect it's from either. It doesn't help your cultivation, nor can it be used to injure enemies. It can only clear and quiet the heart. If you manage to enter the threshold of cultivation, you can stay a little calmer when things happen."

"Can it break free from a Weird's hallucination?"

"Only when cultivated to a profound realm can it do that." Chi Defeng nodded and said, "But entering the threshold of this Heart Cleansing Art is extremely difficult. Even after entering, cultivating it to some achievement is also tremendously hard. You should prepare yourself mentally."

Chen Fei took the Secret Manual with some delight. At long last, he had one more method for breaking free from a Weird.

"For disciples of the Immortal Cloud Sword Sect, how do they avoid falling into hallucinations?" Chen Fei was still curious about the Immortal Cloud Sword Sect.

"Thunderclap Sword Force. Once they cultivate that technique, they naturally carry the power of thunder and are completely unafraid of Weirds. The Immortal Cloud Sword Sect has many similar techniques." Chi Defeng shrugged.

Chen Fei bared his teeth. As expected of a top great Sect—their techniques came in complete systems, and they did not need to think so much at all. Only Rogue Cultivators like Chen Fei had to patch things together from east and west.

For the Heart Cleansing Art, Chi Defeng, for once under the barren sky, did not jack up the price. Whether his conscience had awakened, or he knew no one would buy such an auxiliary Secret Manual, Chen Fei had no idea.

Ordinary martial artists already worked extremely hard cultivating Inner Strength Techniques and moves in normal times. Asking them to cultivate this kind of technique, which was hard to even enter and still could not directly injure enemies after being mastered—probably very few martial artists would be willing.

If he did not have the Panel, Chen Fei would not be willing either.

It was not that he did not work hard. It was truly that talent was limited, time was insufficient, and energy was lacking.

"Simplifying Heart Cleansing Art... Simplification successful... Heart Cleansing Art → Cold Water Head Wash!"

Chen Fei blinked. So this counted as physically cooling down an overheated brain, did it?

In the blink of an eye, several more days passed. Apart from the time spent cultivating inner strength each day, which did not change, Chen Fei spent most of his time on the Fusion of new Movement Techniques.

Whether the Pill Recipe for the Light Spirit Pill could be deduced would not affect Chen Fei in the short term for now. But whether he could run fast affected him greatly.

In the several incidents he had encountered recently, if Chen Fei had not run fast enough, he would already be lying flat by now.

Therefore, aside from his Cultivation Realm, Chen Fei cared most about Movement Technique. And as new techniques were continuously fused in, Chen Fei could feel his Movement Technique constantly growing faster.

Even his regular speed was already slowly approaching his previous Swift Movement state.

Chen Fei had never seen what kind of speed a martial artist in the Marrow Refining Realm possessed. But in Chen Fei's thinking, it was probably about on par with his current self, or perhaps even a bit inferior?

As for the Heart Cleansing Art, Chen Fei did not neglect it either. Aside from the threat of Weirds, as he entered the threshold of the Heart Cleansing Art, Chen Fei discovered that his state of mind had actually become much steadier.

Previously, because his strength was insufficient and he was surrounded by all kinds of external dangers, Chen Fei had always lacked a sense of security in this world.

The manifestation of this lack of security was Chen Fei's various ways of grinding experience. There was no so-called entertainment life, nor any spare time. Chen Fei was forever cultivating all kinds of techniques.

This taut feeling made Chen Fei unconsciously excited, but at the same time, the exhaustion deep in his heart was actually still accumulating uncontrollably.

But after cultivating this Heart Cleansing Art, Chen Fei still had his sense of crisis and vigilance toward the outside world, yet he no longer kept them wrapped around the bottom of his heart at every moment like before.

To put it simply, Chen Fei could now look at matters relatively calmly.

The result of this change was that Chen Fei's body and mind involuntarily felt a kind of relaxation. His efforts were still continuing, but his mentality was gradually changing.

North City Medical Center was still operating as usual. The Zhang Family transferred some Guards over from other places. But the position of the medical center's manager was now left vacant.

There was also no intention of letting Chen Fei replace him. They merely had Chen Fei temporarily take on the manager's duties and wait for the Zhang Family's subsequent arrangements.

Chen Fei refined Grass Return Pills in the medical center's Pill Room. Recently, Chen Fei had not been refining Qi Blood Pills much, instead displaying his level in Refining Grass Return Pills.

To maintain the image of a relative genius, Chen Fei naturally could not keep Refining Qi Blood Pills forever.

And after discovering that Chen Fei could refine Grass Return Pills, Chen Fei could clearly sense a change in some of the Zhang Family's attitudes. Clearly, the Zhang Family had already changed Chen Fei from a somewhat talented Alchemist into a target worthy of focused attention.

At this pace, perhaps in another decade or so, the Zhang Family would take the initiative to bestow the Pill Recipe for the Light Spirit Pill.

"The Army has entered the city! The Army has entered the city!"

A sudden clamor rose outside the Pill Room. Chen Fei had just stepped out when Liu Jun ran up to him and shouted loudly.

"The Imperial Court's Army has come?"

Chen Fei's brows moved. This Army had ultimately still come to Pingyin County. He just did not know whether they intended to garrison here or were only passing through this place.

That night, in the most bustling Wine House in Pingyin County, the lamps burned bright.

Whether it was the County Government Office or the various Noble Families, all had gathered here to host a banquet for the General of the Army.

Chen Fei had also been invited, but he was only seated in a corner on the first floor of the Wine House.

Cups were pushed and exchanged, and the atmosphere in the Wine House was lively as could be. Chen Fei sat in a corner, watching the people around him. He did not speak, nor did he go up to strike up conversations; Chen Fei simply treated himself as a transparent man.

The banquet did not end until close to Hai Hour. The next day, the various Noble Families began contributing supplies to the Army: all kinds of Herbs and pills, rice, grain, meat, and a considerable amount of silver.

At the same time, young able-bodied men were conscripted into service to replenish the Army's losses.

Because of the Army's arrival, all of Pingyin County became extremely noisy and bustling.

As the Deputy Manager of the Medical Hall, Chen Fei not only had to arrange the supply of various pills, but also had the task of Refining Grass Return Pills.

In private, Chen Fei heard some complaints from the Zhang Family. Clearly, contributions of this scale had already gone somewhat beyond what they were willing to offer voluntarily. But with the Army's strength laid out before them, the Zhang Family had no choice but to comply.

Through other channels, Chen Fei made some Inquiries about the cultivation methods practiced in the ranks. In the end, however, he was somewhat disappointed. Most of the soldiers cultivated extremely crude methods.

Only those Generals had much more profound methods, but those were absolutely impossible to be passed around.

All sorts of resources were poured into the Army, but on the fifth day, the Army stationed outside the city suddenly withdrew.

This withdrawal left the people of Pingyin County rather baffled. Immediately afterward, news came: the Rebel Army had already appeared ten li outside Pingyin County and was now surging toward Pingyin County.