Chapter 15: Giving Too Much

The simplified style was very much like a panel, and the result was quite satisfying. Chen Fei calculated his current daily step count; if he worked hard, he could even reach the Great Perfection stage of the Water-Dripping Skill in a single day.

By then, his movement techniques would show significant progress. If he were diligent, it would likely only take four or five days to fuse and practice all four movement technique manuals, and he could see if he could trigger a qualitative change.

Setting aside the Water-Dripping Skill, Chen Fei picked up the Immortal Cloud Sword.

The simplification of the Water-Dripping Skill was expected; now, the main thing was to see if the Immortal Cloud Sword could be recognized and optimized by the panel. If it could, the lack of high-end cultivation techniques would have a reduced impact on him.

It took a full hour. Accompanied by the candlelight, Chen Fei felt a bit dizzy, but fortunately, the information for the Immortal Cloud Sword finally appeared on the panel.

【Cultivation Technique: Immortal Cloud Sword (Incomplete)】

"Cultivation technique discovered. Spend fifty taels of silver to simplify Immortal Cloud Sword (Incomplete)?"

"It really is the Immortal Cloud Sword. Being incomplete is normal, but the simplification fee is a bit high."

Chen Fei's eyes brightened slightly. His first goal had been achieved—it could be simplified, which meant there was a bright future ahead. While he couldn't find authentic, error-free high-tier techniques, he could likely find plenty of these "almost-correct" ones.

"Panel, simplify Immortal Cloud Sword!"

"Simplifying Immortal Cloud Sword (Incomplete)... Simplification successful... Immortal Cloud Sword (Incomplete) → Immortal Pointing the Way!"

A sword technique appeared in Chen Fei's mind. The moves were elegant and agile, swift as a gale, thrusting a sword out in the midst of the impossible. Even before practicing, Chen Fei found himself somewhat entranced just by watching the technique in his mind.

"What a fine sword technique!"

A moment later, after absorbing the technique, Chen Fei couldn't help but praise it. Compared to Immortal Pointing the Way, his Great Perfection Green Mountain Sword was like the clumsy dancing of a child, so crude it was almost painful to look at.

"This move, Immortal Pointing the Way, is likely just a single strike within the Immortal Cloud Sword. If it is this profound, how powerful must the complete Immortal Cloud Sword be? And what kind of behemoth must the Immortal Cloud Sword Sect be!"

Chen Fei murmured to himself. A glimpse through a keyhole revealed the vastness beyond; the more he understood, the more he felt his own insignificance.

Chen Fei shook his head slightly, casting aside the strange emotions in his heart, and refocused his gaze on Immortal Pointing the Way.

If Chen Fei were to practice this sword technique step-by-step, given his current aptitude in the way of the sword, it would likely take months just to enter the threshold, and perfection was an unknown timeline.

However, using the Great Perfection Green Mountain Sword to fuse with Immortal Pointing the Way felt somewhat incompatible.

It was just like when he fused the Blood Qi Pill with the Healing Pill; two different types of medicinal formulas could be fused, but the result was a bit of a hybrid mess.

Fusing the Green Mountain Sword with Immortal Pointing the Way was certainly possible, but there had to be a primary and a secondary focus.

Immortal Pointing the Way was of a higher tier, so it would certainly have to be the primary technique, meaning the Great Perfection Green Mountain Sword would have to discard most of its essence. Furthermore, Immortal Pointing the Way was only a single move; it was actually better suited as a killing move rather than a complete sword style.

Otherwise, if he only had one move to go around, and since Chen Fei had not yet reached the level of "one sword breaking ten thousand laws," he would be easily targeted. Ultimately, Chen Fei helplessly separated the two again.

"Can a simplified technique be simplified again?"

A thought suddenly popped into Chen Fei's mind. Thinking of this, he directly issued a simplification command to the panel.

"Five hundred taels of silver!"

The information popping up on the panel startled Chen Fei. Secondary simplification was possible, but it required ten times the amount of the first simplification.

"Money really does bring happiness."

Chen Fei took a few deep breaths and turned his gaze toward the Water-Dripping Skill. He couldn't afford to simplify Immortal Pointing the Way, but the Water-Dripping Skill was still within reach. Chen Fei wanted to see what the effect of a secondary simplification would actually be.

"Secondary simplification of Water-Dripping Skill in progress... Simplification successful... Water-Dripping Skill → Leg Shaking!"

Chen Fei's eyes widened slightly. Good heavens, this secondary simplification turned "walking" directly into "leg shaking"—the difficulty had actually decreased further. Money truly was a universal solution.

"So, I must work hard to make money!"

Chen Fei couldn't help but cross his legs and start shaking them slowly.

The next morning, Chen Fei arrived at the Qingzheng Medical Clinic as usual. After exchanging greetings with people along the way, he entered the alchemy room.

Chen Fei glanced at the panel; the experience points for the Water-Dripping Skill had long since reached perfection and were very close to the Great Perfection stage. At the same time, Chen Fei discovered something: walking still increased the experience points for the Water-Dripping Skill.

In other words, after the secondary simplification of a technique, the cultivation method from the first simplification remained useful, effectively giving him an additional way to gain experience.

Chen Fei was in a good mood. Walking here this morning, he could clearly feel his body becoming much lighter; clearly, his movement technique was taking effect.

He started the fire, set up the furnace, and began refining Healing Pills.

The selling price of Healing Pills was relatively higher than that of Blood Qi Pills. Therefore, when Chen Fei refined pills now, he would first refine a batch of Healing Pills, setting aside a portion for personal use or for trading in the black market.

Then, he would refine several batches of Blood Qi Pills, setting aside enough for his own consumption and selling the rest.

Compared to last month, Chen Fei intentionally increased his pill output this month. Improving bit by bit would make the people at the clinic think he had good talent without being too excessive; he had to control the degree.

In the afternoon, while Chen Fei was consuming Blood Qi Pills to cultivate, he was called over by Zeng Defang.

"I went to ask the Eldest Miss today. After she learned of your situation, she also intends to cultivate you. She plans to send you to the clinic near the North Gate to serve as an Assistant Manager."

Zeng Defang picked up his teacup, blew on it a few times, and took a sip.

"Is it dangerous?"

Chen Fei frowned slightly. His first thought was that such a good opportunity shouldn't easily fall to someone like him. He had talent in alchemy, but not to a world-shaking degree; how could he suddenly jump to the position of an Assistant Manager at a clinic?

"It's not dangerous, but there is a bit of trouble."

Zeng Defang pondered for a moment and said, "The Eldest Miss suspects that Manager Sun over there has some issues and wants you to go and take a look. You have no background, yet you have certain alchemy abilities, making you the perfect person to hold this position without attracting too much suspicion."

"Don't be in a hurry to refuse."

Seeing Chen Fei's expression, Zeng Defang couldn't help but laugh. "To get you to go there, the Eldest Miss has decided to increase your profit share from thirty percent to forty percent. At the same time, the formula for the Grass-Returning Pill can be given to you directly. If you can find evidence of Manager Sun's wrongdoing, she might even give you the formula for the Light Spirit Pill."

Chen Fei opened his mouth, but the words he was about to use to refuse were swallowed back down. It wasn't that he didn't want to refuse, but rather that the other party was offering too much, leaving him with no reason to say no.

An increase from thirty to forty percent would allow Chen Fei to save money at a higher rate. Having discovered the secondary simplification function of the panel, Chen Fei knew that to rapidly increase his strength, money was indispensable—in fact, the more, the better.