Chapter 25: Made a Little Bit

"Then there's nothing I can do. Once I learn how to refine it one day, I'll sell it to you."

Chen Fei waved his hand and turned to leave.

After learning the recipe for the Light Spirit Pill, Chen Fei truly intended to sell it; after all, it was more valuable. As for the Constant Float Pill, even if he learned it, he wouldn't sell it.

A common man is innocent, but possessing a jade makes him a criminal. Chen Fei's current strength was not yet enough to protect himself.

If that happened, he could easily be captured and turned into a mere alchemist who could do nothing but refine pills.

Leaving the black market, Chen Fei shook off the few tails following him.

As Chen Fei sold Grass Return Pills in the black market, the number of people tracking him increased. Fortunately, Chen Fei's movement techniques were now well-established, and ordinary people simply could not keep up with his pace.

Furthermore, mere Grass Return Pills were not enough to attract any truly powerful experts.

After circling the county a few more times, Chen Fei returned to the courtyard of the alchemy room.

Opening his money bag and looking at the shimmering silver within, a smile involuntarily appeared on Chen Fei's face.

Nearly six hundred taels of silver was a fortune in the eyes of an ordinary person, and Chen Fei had managed to amass this amount in just a few days.

His alchemy skills were certainly the primary reason, but Chen Fei's own cultivation and movement techniques were equally indispensable. Without strength, one could not guard their wealth.

And Chen Fei's purpose for making money had always been to continuously grow his own strength. Otherwise, being a foolish miser would only mean waiting for the day his money vanished.

"Panel, simplify 'Immortal Pointing'!"

"Simplifying Immortal Pointing... simplification successful... Immortal Pointing $\rightarrow$ Finger Tapping!"

The simplification did not disappoint Chen Fei. He lightly tapped the tabletop with his finger. In the next moment, the insights of the Immortal Pointing sword technique appeared in his mind, and Chen Fei's eyes involuntarily closed.

This was the most profound and exquisite sword technique Chen Fei had ever encountered. Gaining this insight now caused him to become unconsciously immersed in it.

As his fingers tapped unconsciously, the experience points for Immortal Pointing on the panel continuously increased. A smile appeared on Chen Fei's face; this was the joy of comprehending the Dao.

The next morning, Chen Fei headed to the Zhang family estate feeling refreshed.

【Technique: Immortal Pointing (Proficient 201/1000)】

In a single night, Immortal Pointing had reached the Proficient level. A sword technique of this level could already be used in actual combat. Had it not been for the profound mysteries of the technique captivating him and causing him to forget to tap his finger later last night, his proficiency would be even higher now.

But Chen Fei was already very satisfied. In a few days, Immortal Pointing would likely reach Great Perfection. By then, no one in the Flesh Tempering stage within Pingyin County would likely be his match.

This was a move from the Immortal Cloud Sword Sect. Although it was only a single strike, its profundity far exceeded that of the martial artists in Pingyin County.

"If I landed such a strike on someone in the Bone Forging stage, they'd probably be in real trouble!"

Chen Fei secretly estimated that if Jian Liang, whom he had encountered before, or Sun Shu from last night had been careless, they truly would have been heavily injured. If he used Immortal Pointing several more times, he might even be able to kill them.

Using a move repeatedly makes it easy for others to spot flaws, but if they are already heavily injured, who would have the energy to look for flaws?

A bit more security entered Chen Fei's heart, but this was far from enough. He felt he needed to continue working hard.

"Eldest Miss!"

Entering through the side gate and walking into the courtyard, Chen Fei saw Zhang Sinan seemingly lost in thought in the pavilion and called out from the side.

"You've come. Sit."

Seeing Chen Fei, Zhang Sinan seemed to know his purpose. Her brow furrowed slightly as she said, "Is it for the Light Spirit Pill recipe?"

"Yes, I ask the Eldest Miss to bestow it upon me," Chen Fei said with a cupped hand.

"I'm afraid I cannot give you the Light Spirit Pill recipe," Zhang Sinan said after a moment of hesitation.

"Why? You promised before."

Chen Fei's brow furrowed. This was different from what had been said previously. Because of this recipe, Chen Fei had been hunted by Sun Shu last night, and Zhang Sinan should have known about it.

"Several family elders feel that since the matter with Sun Shu hasn't been resolved, receiving the Light Spirit Pill recipe just for saying a single sentence is perhaps too much of a reward."

Zhang Sinan seemed to know she was somewhat in the wrong, so she explained to Chen Fei in a gentle tone.

Chen Fei frowned deeply and said nothing. The Zhang family was projecting their anger over the Sun Shu incident onto him. He had previously thought the Zhang family were decent people, but it seemed he had thought too much.

"The Zhang family will not mistreat people. Even if I gave you the Light Spirit Pill recipe now, you wouldn't be able to refine it anyway. It would be better to exchange it for other rewards."

Chen Fei's silence made Zhang Sinan somewhat dissatisfied, and her voice turned cold.

"May I know what the rewards are?"

Chen Fei did not throw a tantrum or argue the merits, because he knew it would be useless.

"Techniques, weapons—you can name anything. As long as it is appropriate, it can be granted to you."

Seeing that Chen Fei was not being persistent, Zhang Sinan nodded slightly; that was more proper. Ultimately, although Chen Fei was not a servant of the Zhang family, he relied on them for his livelihood, and he needed to know his place.

"I want a set of sword techniques."

The option for cultivation techniques was directly unavailable; there were only techniques and weapons. The Zhang family was truly strict in this regard. But it was normal, considering they weren't even willing to give up a recipe.

Zhang Sinan nodded and called a servant, giving a few instructions. Within moments, four volumes of sword technique manuals were placed before Chen Fei.

"These manuals are all quite good. Choose one."

"May I look through each of them?" Chen Fei asked after a moment of thought.

"You may," Zhang Sinan agreed with a nod.

Chen Fei picked up the first one, the Gale Sword, and began to flip through it.

Perhaps it was because he had gained insight into the Immortal Pointing technique, but as Chen Fei read the Gale Sword, many of the principles of the swordplay became instantly clear to him.

In just fifteen minutes, Chen Fei finished reading the Gale Sword manual. He instinctively looked at the panel, and his eyes lit up.

【Technique: Gale Sword (Not Started)】

"I can get three more for free?"

The thought involuntarily popped into Chen Fei's mind. He looked up at Zhang Sinan and found that her attention was not on him at all, causing the corners of his mouth to curl up slightly.

Setting the manual down, Chen Fei began reading the second sword technique.

Fifteen minutes later, Chen Fei put the manual down and picked up the third. Another fifteen minutes later, he finished the fourth manual.

"Finished? Which one do you want?"

Seeing Chen Fei set the manuals down, Zhang Sinan turned and asked.

Zhang Sinan had not expected Chen Fei to be able to learn four manuals in such a short time; more than ninety percent of martial artists could not do this. Cultivation techniques required careful study, and many could not even be learned through self-study; they required a master to guide them.

One manual every fifteen minutes was only enough to skim through it roughly.

"This one will do."

Chen Fei picked up one of them, and Zhang Sinan nodded. Chen Fei bowed in farewell and left the Zhang family estate.

On the way, Chen Fei looked at the information on his panel and almost burst into laughter.

【Technique: Gale Sword (Not Started), Fire Leap Sword (Not Started), Leaf Pattern Sword (Not Started), Hand Shield Sword (Not Started)】

Although he hadn't obtained the Light Spirit Pill recipe, he hadn't lost out.

In fact, it seemed he had even made a small profit?