Scrutiny

"Returning Origin Archery discovered. Spend one tael of silver to simplify Returning Origin Archery?"

"Returning Origin Archery simplifying... Simplification successful... Returning Origin Archery → mixed noodles!"

Another simplification result that was completely beyond expectations. Chen Fei blinked. What connection was there between this archery and mixed noodles? Did they both have a strand of tendon?

But noodles were not tendons either.

Chen Fei pulled a face and rummaged through his stored food, but found no noodles. Still, this problem was easy to solve. Tomorrow, he could have someone from the Zhao Family send some over.

In the Zhao Family's eyes now, Chen Fei was a Golden Employee. If he wanted to eat some noodles, they would definitely satisfy such a request.

Unable to grind proficiency for the moment, Chen Fei took out the herbs for the Light Spirit Pill that he had received today.

The Light Spirit Pill's proficiency was still a little short of Great Perfection. He estimated that in a few more days, it would be complete. But refining Light Spirit Pills was already no problem at all, and the pill yield was not low.

Now, when Chen Fei refined one furnace of Light Spirit Pills, he would get at least two pills. If his luck was a little better, there would even be three. Therefore, in the Black Market, exchanging one portion of herbs for one Light Spirit Pill, with an additional six silver taels in subsidy, was another hugely profitable deal for Chen Fei.

In the end, mastering a craft was equivalent to mastering the password to wealth.

The more high-end the craft, the greater this wealth. If it were another alchemist, and his Light Spirit Pill level was only at Proficient Level, then one furnace really would only produce a single pill, and he would only earn that bit of hard-earned subsidy money.

The next afternoon, after the Zhao Family heard Chen Fei's request, they directly sent over a whole basket of noodles.

Mixing noodles, refining pills, cultivating inner strength—Chen Fei's schedule was once again arranged to the brim. At the same time, Chen Fei began waiting for news from Chi Defeng's side.

Because of the Weird's activity, the Rebel Army began gathering and heading to Pingyin Mountain more often. This Rebel Army seemed to truly intend to properly manage Pingyin County.

Whether or not it was the result of the Rebel Army's efforts, the Weird on Pingyin Mountain slowly began to decrease. They were no longer coming out to kill people as densely as they had at the very beginning.

The people of Pingyin County seemed to have improved their attitude toward the Rebel Army somewhat. After all, ordinary people were extremely afraid of the Weird. But Chen Fei was not happy, because the Bone-Attached Gangrene coiled around his arm had not become any less active.

And as time passed, it was still slowly growing stronger.

If not for knowing that his words carried little weight, and that he had not the slightest bit of evidence, Chen Fei truly wanted to report the situation upward. Unfortunately, those rebels would not believe a tiny little alchemist.

Crack!

In the courtyard, a wooden stick hung up and swaying slightly was shattered by Chen Fei's arrow.

Chen Fei lowered the longbow in his hand. Returning Origin Archery had been cultivated to the realm of Great Perfection very easily. As for mixed noodles, well, it never said how many he had to mix at once.

Chen Fei had very straightforwardly mixed one strand at a time, and that basket of noodles had directly pushed his proficiency to the top. It was just that he had eaten too many mixed noodles recently, and they were a bit salty.

As for the power of this archery, it was very average. After all, when it was simplified, it had only cost one tael of silver. From that alone, one could tell exactly how basic this archery was.

If compared horizontally, it was just like the set of Extreme Mountain Fist that Chen Fei had learned back then.

Chen Fei was quite satisfied. After all, in just a few days, he had gone from a complete novice who knew nothing to an archer who could hit wherever he pointed. With this kind of efficiency, what was there to complain about?

There were still two sets of archery left. According to Chen Fei's estimate, in roughly another five or six days, he would be able to complete their cultivation. At that time, Chen Fei would go purchase a slightly better longbow, and that would count as completing this stage of cultivation.

Night, the Black Market.

"This is today's."

Chen Fei placed the Grass Return Pills and Light Spirit Pills on the counter. The stall owner checked them briefly, then accepted them with a face full of smiles. At the same time, he gave Chen Fei silver taels, as well as five portions of Light Spirit Pill herbs.

Chen Fei packed up his things and turned to leave. Not long after he had just left the Black Market, he stopped.

"Your Excellency, my main family invites you. Might you do us the honor?"

Several black-clad men surrounded Chen Fei, the blades in their hands giving off a trace of cold light under the moon.

Chen Fei's expression was calm. In the current environment, selling pills in the Black Market, Chen Fei had already expected trouble to come. After all, a wild alchemist was now a hot cake everyone wanted a bite of.

The best thing would be to directly tie him up and drag him back, making him refine pills for them with his life on the line.

"It's too late. Another day."

The moment Chen Fei's voice fell, he had already appeared ahead, and the blade he used to disguise his identity chopped toward the person before him.

"Break his legs. Don't injure his hands!"

As if they had long since expected Chen Fei would not submit, the black-clad man gave an order, and the blades in several people's hands directly chopped toward Chen Fei.

A faint smile appeared on Chen Fei's face. The Heart Cleansing Art activated, and everything around him seemed to pause slightly within his perception.

The next movement of all five black-clad men's techniques was completely exposed in Chen Fei's eyes. A feeling of absolute control appeared in Chen Fei's heart.

The long blade in Chen Fei's hand seemed to turn casually. As inner energy spread, the five men suddenly groaned in pain, and the weapons in their hands dropped uncontrollably.

The five men's hearts turned cold with fear. Clutching their wrists, they subconsciously retreated, only for a sudden, sharp pain to erupt in their calves, blood bursting out.

"Ah!"

This time, the five could no longer hold back. They cried out loudly and all fell to the ground.

Chen Fei let out a great laugh, his figure leaping as he vanished from where he stood.

No matter which side these people had been sent by, and even whether there were still others watching from the perimeter, Chen Fei's goal of intimidation had already been achieved.

It was to make those noble families understand that this alchemist was not easy to control. An alchemist with such cultivation would bite back if they were not careful, so it would be better to keep the current method of cooperation, which was more stable.

Chen Fei had long since anticipated this. And in order to distinguish himself from his original identity, he did not even use a sword.

If one wanted to make money, one always had to take a little risk.

"Good eyesight. Average blade technique."

Not far away, Ling Hanjun watched Chen Fei's techniques and shook his head slightly.

"Let's follow him. This man's Disguise Technique is quite good; even I can't see his original appearance. If you show him the portrait, perhaps he'll be able to see something," Xing Wenxiang said from the side.

"All right!"

Ling Hanjun nodded, and the two of them flashed forward, chasing after Chen Fei.

Chen Fei was just about to shake off the little tails behind him when he suddenly sensed two extremely fast figures charging up. His brows furrowed slightly. He was just wondering whether to use his Movement Technique to throw them off directly when he clearly saw Ling Hanjun's face.

In the Black Market, these two had not concealed their appearances at all. With great skill came great boldness!

Several thoughts flashed through Chen Fei's mind. The possibility that his original identity had been discovered was the first to be ruled out, and the Aura of Ling Hanjun and his companion did not seem like they had come to kill him either.

Chen Fei hesitated for a moment, then decided to see exactly what the two of them wanted. Mainly, if he wanted to continue buying and selling in the Black Market, these two people were simply impossible to avoid.

A moment later, Ling Hanjun and Xing Wenxiang arrived in front of Chen Fei.

"Sorry to disturb you. We have a favor to ask."

Xing Wenxiang cupped his hands toward Chen Fei, while Ling Hanjun stood beside him, scrutinizing Chen Fei.

Height, eyes, features—not a single part resembled him. Of course, if one cultivated the Disguise Technique to a minute and profound level, all of these could be changed, but those who could do so were extremely few.

And the Movement Technique this man had just displayed was vastly different from that person's that night—more graceful and agile, not the same style at all. For a Rogue Cultivator to improve his Movement Technique to this extent in a short time was almost impossible.

Ling Hanjun withdrew his gaze and took a portrait from his robes.