Seven or eight days had passed, and Chen Fei's originally thin, small frame had gradually filled out, with muscles slowly emerging on his body. He no longer looked so frail and easy to bully.
Just as Chen Fei was anticipating a breakthrough to the Skin Tempering realm, the medical hall suddenly notified everyone that they would be going into the mountains outside the city to gather herbs.
Early the next morning, a group of servants from the medical hall carried herb baskets out of the city and arrived at Pingyin Mountain.
Things hadn't been peaceful outside the city lately, but the medical hall was short on herbs, and when it arranged for servants to leave the city, refusal was naturally not an option. Everyone had a quota of herbs to gather. Meet it, and you could come down the mountain.
If you failed to meet it, you would have to return in three days regardless—but there was no escaping a beating.
The group spread out across the vast Pingyin Mountain and quickly vanished from sight.
Chen Fei walked for the time it takes an incense stick to burn before spotting an herb. Delighted, he stepped forward to pick it. As his cultivation steadily improved, Chen Fei had recently not only gained stamina, but his five senses had grown considerably sharper as well.
Though Chen Fei was gathering herbs at the moment, his ears and eyes kept frequent watch on his surroundings, lest some danger arrive without him noticing.
Although there were no large beasts in Pingyin Mountain, venomous insects and snakes were plentiful. Every herb-gathering trip saw quite a few servants injured—even some killed.
Chen Fei had only picked half the herb when his expression suddenly changed, and his entire body lunged forward.
The next instant, an arrow buried itself in the spot where Chen Fei had just been standing, still quivering slightly—the force behind it was tremendous. If Chen Fei hadn't dodged just now, the arrow would likely have pierced straight into his organs.
Chen Fei hid behind a large tree, a firewood knife in hand, rage surging in his heart. If his movements had been even a little slower, he would be at his attacker's mercy right now.
"Pretty quick on your feet." A laugh rang out.
"This kid trained at the Jishan Fist Hall for a while, so he's got some agility," Sha Daxin's voice said.
"He does have some skill. You go around the other side—today he's not getting awa... Damn it, the kid's running! Chase him!" Niu Kuo's brow lifted slightly. Just as he was about to raise his bow, he found that Chen Fei kept darting between the large trees, making him hard to lock onto.
Niu Kuo was a hunter with a measure of archery skill, but in the end, he was only at an ordinary person's level. Chen Fei, on the verge of a breakthrough now, was far superior to an ordinary person in both stamina and acuity.
So as he ran, Niu Kuo found himself quite unable to do anything about him.
"Chen Fei, how are you as gutless as a woman? Why are you running? Come fight me! Come kill me!" Sha Daxin roared.
Chen Fei gave no reply, sprinting with long strides. In less than a quarter hour, he had shaken off the two men behind him. Chen Fei's expression was cold and grim. This matter couldn't simply be let go, but Niu Kuo had a bow and arrows, and with Chen Fei's current strength, he couldn't break through them head-on—not unless his realm advanced.
At this thought, Chen Fei looked at his panel.
【Name: Chen Fei】
【Occupation: Warrior】
【Techniques: Jishan Fist (Not Yet Mastered), Jishan Breathing Method (Great Perfection)】
【Realm: Martial Practitioner (99/100)】
"Almost there!"
Chen Fei's spirits lifted slightly. His original estimate had been ten days, but it now seemed it would come even sooner. Moreover, that intense running and breathing just now seemed to have sped up the advancement a little.
Chen Fei recalled Niu Kuo's attire—he was likely a hunter from Pingyin Mountain, and might well track him down by his trail. So Chen Fei didn't linger where he stood, but ran off in another direction.
Run for a while, rest for a stretch. Half an hour later, Chen Fei stopped, because he felt his body undergoing a drastic transformation.
The next moment, the sound of sinews and bones ringing in unison echoed from within Chen Fei's body. He couldn't help raising his head as a pain emanated from deep inside him, followed by a tingling numbness coursing through his flesh.
Fortunately, the sensation lasted only a moment before it stopped. A surge of power welled through his body, and Chen Fei clenched his fist instinctively.
【Realm: Skin Tempering (1/1000)】
The panel clearly displayed Chen Fei's current realm. Chen Fei looked around—subtle sounds drifted into his ears, and he could see farther than before.
Chen Fei bounced in place a few times. Whether it was thanks to the panel or the Great Perfection breathing method, the moment he broke through, he had perfect control over his own strength.
Exerting force, changing direction—everything came effortlessly. Facing his former self, he could knock himself down with a single punch now. As for Niu Kuo's bow and arrows? Nothing more than an ordinary man's strength and archery.
Several hundred meters away.
"This kid can really run. When we catch him, we have to torture him properly first!" Sha Daxin said through gritted teeth, his voice vicious.
"Torturing someone's easy enough. Later we'll cut open his skin and pour honey into the wounds. Guaranteed he'll have a real pleasant time." Niu Kuo laughed loudly.
"Thank you for your trouble this time, Uncle Niu," Sha Daxin said obsequiously.
"You paid me, so doing the job is only right."
Niu Kuo was unconcerned. Looking ahead, he said, "That kid can run, but right now he must be on tenterhooks. We'll follow behind slowly, and eventually we'll run him down."
"My worry is he'll run back to the medical hall."
"I'd rather hope he runs down the mountain—it'll be even easier to intercept him." In Niu Kuo's eyes, killing a man was far easier than killing a beast.
"Uncle Niu really is impressive!" Sha Daxin fawned with a flattering smile.
"Hahaha, next time something like this comes up, keep coming to—"
"Whoosh!"
Before Niu Kuo could finish, his face suddenly changed and he rolled to the side, a stone the size of a bowl whizzing past above his head.
Niu Kuo scrambled up and was just raising his bow when a figure appeared before him out of nowhere. A kick sent the bow in his hands flying, and Niu Kuo himself was overturned by a tremendous force, falling backward uncontrollably.
"Chen Fei!"
Sha Daxin hadn't yet grasped what was happening when he saw Chen Fei appear and send Niu Kuo flying. The firewood knife in his hands instinctively slashed at Chen Fei.
"Bang!"
Chen Fei's foot struck Sha Daxin in the chest. With a muffled grunt, Sha Daxin spewed blood from his mouth, his whole body flying backward several meters before slamming into a large tree and slumping to the ground.
"Young hero, this is all a misunderstanding!"
In the span of a hare rising and a falcon striking, the situation had flipped completely. Niu Kuo shouted loudly. But Chen Fei said not a word, closing the distance to Niu Kuo in a few strides and sweeping the knife in his hand toward him.
Seeing how decisive Chen Fei was, a flicker of ruthlessness flashed through Niu Kuo's eyes. A handful of quicklime appeared in his hand, hurling toward Chen Fei, while a dagger appeared in his other hand, stabbing at him.
"Splurt!"
A pair of hands flew into the air. Niu Kuo stared blankly at his own arms. The next instant, pain shot through his neck, the world turned upside down, and finally all faded into darkness.
Chen Fei turned around, expressionless, and walked toward Sha Daxin.
"You murderer! Chen Fei, you'll die a horrible death!" As if aware he wouldn't survive, Sha Daxin cursed wildly.
Chen Fei swung the blade and sheathed it. Sha Daxin crumpled limply to the side.