Chapter 19: Breaking One's Promise

After several rounds of haggling, Chen Fei finally settled on a price ten percent above the market rate, with the goods to be picked up in six days.

Leaving the black market, Chen Fei returned to his rented courtyard with a smile on his face.

In truth, even if the medicinal herbs had increased by fifty percent over the market price, it wouldn't have been a significant matter for Chen Fei. After all, once the herbs were refined into pills, the profit margins would multiply dozens of times over.

However, in business, one cannot simply agree to whatever price someone proposes. The other party wouldn't view you as generous; they would view you as an easy target, which would only invite various troubles in the future.

Pulling a movement technique manual from beneath his bed, Chen Fei began to study it.

He had already integrated his "River Crossing Cloud" technique into his thirteenth manual. The time it took to cultivate each one to perfection was becoming shorter and shorter, indicating that the supplementary benefits of new manuals to his movement technique were accelerating toward diminishing returns.

A quarter of an hour later, having finished the new manual, the information for "Swallow Twin Flight" appeared on his panel. Chen Fei proceeded to fuse the perfected "River Crossing Cloud" with "Swallow Twin Flight."

【Cultivation Technique: River Crossing Cloud (Perfection 7325/10000)】

Having reached near-perfection immediately upon fusion, it was clear that the room for improvement was shrinking. The day he fused a new manual and it immediately hit perfection would signify that the technique had reached its limit.

Chen Fei's previous idea—relying on the fusion of various low-level techniques to continuously progress and create even stronger techniques—was undoubtedly somewhat fanciful.

After all, the logic behind primary techniques was quite simple when they were first created. Fortunately, the panel could simplify incomplete manuals; otherwise, Chen Fei truly wouldn't know where to find new techniques.

Several miles away.

"Kill someone for me. If this succeeds, the favor you owe me from years ago will be considered settled."

"Who?"

"Chen Fei, from the Qingzheng Medical Clinic!"

"If we kill someone from the Qingzheng Medical Clinic, the Zhang family won't let this slide."

"Bandits are rampant in the county right now. Just leave some traces and pin it on them, and it'll be settled! Besides, that kid is quite wealthy now; that money will be a windfall for you!"

"Fine, I'll take the job!"

The house fell into silence once more. One person had already departed, while the other limped toward the table, his hideous face revealed under the flickering candlelight.

"We went together that day, and my leg was broken, leaving me a cripple! Yet you became a comfortable deputy manager. How can all the good fortune go to you!" A sinister murmur accompanied the swaying candlelight.

Five days passed in the blink of an eye. Pingyin County enjoyed a rare period of calm; the fierce bandits had not reappeared, seemingly having abandoned the county.

Chen Fei maintained a strict routine: alchemy, cultivation, and skin maintenance. His cultivation had reached a critical threshold, and simultaneously, his movement technique had reached a point where it could no longer progress after fusing sixteen manuals.

Consequently, Chen Fei simplified a high-level movement manual he had specifically collected, obtaining a technique called "Leaping Rapid Transit."

It wasn't a complete movement manual, but merely a single technique. According to Chen Fei's insights, using this technique would increase his running speed significantly for a short duration.

There would be some exhaustion afterward, but no other serious side effects.

Overjoyed, Chen Fei did not hesitate to fuse this technique into "River Crossing Cloud."

Now, after fusing over a dozen movement manuals, "River Crossing Cloud" appeared extremely comprehensive. Fusing "Leaping Rapid Transit" did not make the technique a disorganized mess; instead, it provided him with an explosive secret method.

At the same time, his proficiency dropped to Perfection (8123/10000).

At his current rate of cultivation, it would only take a day or two to reach perfection again.

"Because River Crossing Cloud has fused over a dozen techniques, it can perfectly accommodate the secret skills of high-level movement manuals. If I want my swordplay to perfectly integrate sword moves like 'Immortal Pointing the Way,' is the only way to achieve that through secondary simplification after the basic sword techniques are fully fused?"

An idea involuntarily popped into Chen Fei's mind, but he immediately dismissed it.

Swordplay was different from movement techniques. "Leaping Rapid Transit" was more like an explosive state rather than a specific footwork pattern, which allowed it to be compatible.

"But reaching perfection in basic swordplay will still benefit my future integration of other high-level sword techniques. At the very least, it will increase my compatibility."

Chen Fei pondered. His footwork had reached a new stage; next would be his cultivation level and combat techniques. The task of grinding proficiency was endless and could never truly be stopped.

As for his cultivation, Chen Fei checked his panel and saw he was only a few points away.

Chen Fei sat cross-legged and began to circulate the "Wind-Suspension Breathing Method." The blood and qi within his body began to surge continuously. Chen Fei's skin turned slightly red as a current of heat circulated over his skin before gradually penetrating into his muscles.

After an unknown amount of time, Chen Fei's body trembled slightly. A brand-new power erupted from within him, and he opened his eyes involuntarily.

Rustling sounds drifted from the surroundings. In the darkness, Chen Fei could see further than ever before.

Amidst the extreme stillness of the night, there were many chaotic, overlapping sounds. These two sensations merged, filling Chen Fei's mind.

"Someone is there!"

Chen Fei suddenly turned toward the door. In the ethereal clarity following his breakthrough, he sensed something unusual in the courtyard—someone was hiding there.

Chen Fei gripped his longsword, opened the door, and walked straight into the courtyard, appearing like someone who couldn't sleep and had come out for some fresh air.

*Ssh!*

Chen Fei's body shifted to the left as a cold light flashed past; a flying knife grazed the courtyard wall. Simultaneously, a dark shadow leaped from a corner onto the wall, staring coldly at Chen Fei.

The man in black said nothing. With a flicker of movement, he vanished from the spot.

Chen Fei watched the man's retreating figure. Lately, he had felt as though he was being secretly tracked and observed, and he had assumed it was someone sent by Sun Shu. But today, this person had even hidden in his courtyard and struck immediately upon being discovered. This was clearly more than simple stalking.

*Rapid Transit!*

The blood and qi in his body flowed along a specific path. Chen Fei felt his body suddenly become light, and the world around him seemed to slow down.

As the breeze blew and the branches swayed, Chen Fei could clearly see the exact trajectory of the leaves' movement.

In the next instant, Chen Fei stepped back with his right foot and arrived behind the man in black in a heartbeat, his longsword thrusting forward.

Sensing something behind him, the man in black instinctively turned around only to see the sword piercing toward him. His eyes were filled with terror and disbelief—how could Chen Fei be this fast!

The intelligence he had received stated that Chen Fei had only recently broken through to the Skin Refining Realm.

Furthermore, being cautious, he had tracked him for several days to confirm Chen Fei's cultivation and had found no other protectors. That was why he had planned to strike today, kill Chen Fei, and end the contract.

But what was with the movement technique and swordplay Chen Fei was displaying now?

*Slash!*

The blade pierced through his chest. The man in black slumped to the ground, his mouth filled with blood.

Chen Fei stepped to the side and looked down at him. "Who sent you?"

"Promise not to kill me, and I'll tell you," the man in black whispered, clutching his wound.

"Fine!" Chen Fei nodded after a moment's thought.

"Pu Liao... he's the one who sent me!" the man in black said through gritted teeth. He felt betrayed by Pu Liao and was determined to make him pay once he returned!

Chen Fei's brow furrowed in confusion. He hadn't even gone looking for trouble with Pu Liao, yet the man had sent someone to kill him.

"Can I go now?" The man in black struggled to stand. Chen Fei's strike had crippled his strength, but he could still move slightly.

Looking at the man, Chen Fei shook his head slightly and stepped closer. "Is there anything else to say?"

"What are you planning to do? You just promised not to kill me! You can't go back on your word!" the man in black screamed in terror.

"I broke my word."

A flash of sword light flickered as the tip pierced the man's heart. The man in black stared at Chen Fei in disbelief before slowly falling backward.

(End of Chapter)