Chapter 37: Fleeing at the Sight of Trouble

"Hmm, the method is correct." Chi Defeng nodded and said, "When encountering an anomaly, you either need deep cultivation to simply exhaust it to death, or you run. If you can't run, then there is no other way."

"Can anomalies trigger hallucinations?" Chen Fei suddenly asked.

"Have you encountered one of that level?" Chi Defeng looked at Chen Fei with some surprise.

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

"Anomalies indeed vary in level and strength. The ones that trigger hallucinations are the most troublesome."

Chi Defeng thought for a moment, ran into another room, and reappeared a moment later with a manual in his hand, which he handed to Chen Fei.

Chen Fei looked at Chi Defeng in confusion.

"The Heart-Clearing Mantra."

"From the Immortal Cloud Sword Sect?"

"As if all cultivation methods belong to the Immortal Cloud Sword Sect."

Chi Defeng couldn't help but laugh and scold, saying, "I don't even know which sect it's from. It provides no help to cultivation and cannot be used to harm enemies. It can only quiet the mind; if you use it to enter the basics of cultivation, you can remain a bit calmer when things happen."

"Can it break free from an anomaly's hallucinations?"

"Only once you have cultivated to a profound realm." Chi Defeng nodded and said, "However, the Heart-Clearing Mantra is extremely difficult to begin. Even once you've started, achieving success is incredibly hard. You should prepare yourself mentally."

Chen Fei accepted the manual with some joy; he finally had another way to escape an anomaly.

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

"The Shocking Thunder Sword Intent. By practicing this technique, they possess innate thunder power and have no fear of anomalies. The Immortal Cloud Sword Sect has many similar techniques," Chi Defeng said with a shrug.

Chen Fei grinned. As expected of a top-tier sect, their techniques were systematic, so they didn't have to worry about much. It was only rogue cultivators like Chen Fei who had to piece things together from various sources.

Regarding the Heart-Clearing Mantra, Chi Defeng uncharacteristically did not ask for a high price. It was unclear whether he had found his conscience or simply knew that no one would buy such a supplementary manual.

For an average martial artist, practicing internal energy techniques and moves was already exhausting enough. Very few would be willing to practice a technique that was difficult to start and could not directly harm enemies even after mastery.

If he didn't have his System Panel, Chen Fei wouldn't be willing either.

It wasn't a lack of effort, but rather the limitations of his talent, lack of time, and insufficient energy.

"Simplifying Heart-Clearing Mantra... Simplification successful... Heart-Clearing Mantra $\rightarrow$ Cold Water Hair Wash!"

Chen Fei blinked. This was essentially a physical way to cool down the brain, wasn't it?

In the blink of an eye, several more days passed. Aside from his daily internal energy training, Chen Fei spent most of his time integrating new movement techniques.

Whether the formula for the Light Spirit Pill could be deduced was not an immediate concern for Chen Fei. However, whether he could run fast was extremely important.

In several recent incidents, if Chen Fei hadn't run fast enough, he would already be lying flat in a grave.

Therefore, aside from his cultivation realm, Chen Fei was most focused on his movement techniques. As new techniques were continuously integrated, Chen Fei could feel his movement speed constantly increasing.

Even his regular speed was slowly approaching his previous "sprinting" state.

Chen Fei had never seen a martial artist of the Marrow Tempering Realm and didn't know exactly what kind of speed they possessed. But according to his estimation, they were likely on par with his current self, or perhaps even slightly inferior?

As for the Heart-Clearing Mantra, Chen Fei had not neglected it. Beyond the threat of anomalies, as he entered the basics of the mantra, Chen Fei found that his state of mind had actually become much more stable.

Previously, due to insufficient strength and the surrounding external dangers, Chen Fei always lacked a sense of security in this world.

This lack of security manifested in Chen Fei constantly "grinding" for experience. There was no so-called entertainment or leisure; Chen Fei was always practicing various techniques.

This sense of tension kept Chen Fei unconsciously excited, but at the same time, the exhaustion in the depths of his heart was accumulating uncontrollably.

However, after practicing the Heart-Clearing Mantra, while he remained wary of external crises, they no longer constantly occupied his mind.

To put it simply, Chen Fei could now view things with relative composure.

The result of this change was that Chen Fei's body and mind involuntarily felt a sense of relaxation. The hard work continued, but his mindset was gradually changing.

The North City Medical Clinic was still operating as usual, and the Zhang family had transferred some guards from other places. However, the position of clinic manager was currently vacant.

There was no intention to have Chen Fei take over the position; he was merely tasked with temporarily fulfilling the duties of a manager while waiting for the Zhang family's subsequent arrangements.

Chen Fei was refining Grass-Returning Pills in the clinic's alchemy room. Recently, he had stopped refining Blood Qi Pills and instead demonstrated his proficiency in refining Grass-Returning Pills.

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

After discovering that Chen Fei could refine Grass-Returning Pills, Chen Fei could clearly sense a change in the Zhang family's attitude. It was obvious that the Zhang family had shifted Chen Fei from a slightly talented alchemist to an object of key interest.

At this rate, perhaps in another ten or so years, the Zhang family might proactively grant him the formula for the Light Spirit Pill.

"The army has entered the city! The army has entered the city!"

A sudden commotion erupted outside the alchemy room. As soon as Chen Fei stepped out, Liu Jun ran up to him and shouted loudly.

"The imperial army has arrived?"

Chen Fei's brow twitched. The army had finally come to Pingyin County. He just didn't know if they intended to station themselves here or were merely passing through.

That night, the most prosperous restaurant in Pingyin County was brightly lit.

Whether from the county magistrate's office or the various prominent families, everyone gathered there to host banquets for the army officers.

Chen Fei was also invited, though he only sat in a corner on the first floor.

With cups clinking and glasses exchanging, the atmosphere in the restaurant was incredibly lively. From his corner, Chen Fei watched the people around him. He didn't speak or attempt to socialize; he treated himself as a ghost.

The banquet did not end until near the hour of Hai (9 PM - 11 PM). The next day, the various prominent families began contributing supplies to the army: various medicinal herbs, pills, rice, grain, meat, and substantial amounts of silver.

At the same time, young men were conscripted into the army to replenish the losses of the military personnel.

Because of the army's arrival, the entire Pingyin County became extremely noisy.

As the deputy manager of the medical clinic, Chen Fei was responsible for arranging the supply of various pills and the task of refining Grass-Returning Pills.

Privately, Chen Fei heard some complaints from the Zhang family. Clearly, this level of contribution had exceeded what they were willing to do voluntarily. But with the power of the army right there, the Zhang family had no choice but to comply.

Chen Fei inquired through other channels about the cultivation techniques used within the military. In the end, he was somewhat disappointed; most soldiers practiced extremely crude techniques.

Only the officers possessed much more profound techniques, but those would certainly never be passed down.

Various resources were poured into the army, but only on the fifth day, the army stationed outside the city suddenly withdrew.

This withdrawal left the people of Pingyin County bewildered. Immediately after, news arrived: rebel forces had appeared ten miles away from Pingyin County and were currently surging toward the county.