CHAPTER 44: CHAPTER 44 THREE STAR MARTIAL MASTER_1

"Where exactly did you hide?" Zhao Shuang’er looked curiously at Qin Feiyang.

To be able to avoid the War King’s pursuit is truly astonishing.

However, Qin Feiyang did not dwell on this issue and chuckled, "Ladies, we are practically old flames; could you help me with a small favor?"

"’Old flames’?" The two women’s eyes widened instantly.

"Ah!" Qin Feiyang feigned confusion, scratched his head, and laughed awkwardly. "A slip of the tongue! A slip of the tongue! What I meant was that we are long-time acquaintances."

Seeing this, the two women were unsure if Qin Feiyang was intentionally teasing them or if it was truly a slip of the tongue.

"Cough, cough." Feeling more embarrassed by the minute, Qin Feiyang coughed to redirect the conversation. "As you can see, my current situation... if I don’t change my appearance, it will be difficult for me to survive in Yan Province..."

Lo Qingzhu said, "So, you want us to help you find a Shape-shifting Pill?"

Qin Feiyang laughed, "You are really clever."

Lo Qingzhu nodded. "Alright, but on one condition: you mustn’t tell anyone about this."

"You agreed just like that?" Qin Feiyang was shocked. That was too easy, wasn’t it?

Zhao Shuang’er said, "We are here to help you. We both know you’ve been wrongly accused."

Qin Feiyang was somewhat surprised and said gratefully, "Thank you, ladies. I, Qin Feiyang, will forever remember this kindness, and I will absolutely not mention this to anyone else."

Lo Qingzhu smiled, took out a jade box from her Qiankun Bag, and handed it to Qin Feiyang. "Inside is what you want."

Qin Feiyang hastily opened the jade box. Inside, a pill, snow-white and flawless, came into view.

It really was a Shape-shifting Pill!

Lo Qingzhu laughed. "This Shape-shifting Pill was originally something I was saving for an emergency. Since you need it, I’ll give it to you. However, you have to remember that from now on, you owe me a favor."

Indeed, the Shape-shifting Pill was an excellent means of self-preservation. Once your face changed, no one would be able to recognize you.

"Thank you." Qin Feiyang looked at her gratefully, took out the Shape-shifting Pill, and quickly put it into his mouth.

An amazing thing happened: Qin Feiyang’s features began to rapidly distort.

Within five breaths, a completely unfamiliar face appeared before Lo Qingzhu and Zhao Shuang’er.

Qin Feiyang still had the appearance of a young man, but his complexion was somewhat pale, exuding the air of a scholar.

Zhao Shuang’er took out a mirror and handed it to Qin Feiyang.

Qin Feiyang held the mirror, examined his reflection carefully, and nodded with a smile. "Good, very good. Now I can openly enter the city. Speaking of which, why are you two in Black Bear City?"

Qin Feiyang handed the mirror back to Zhao Shuang’er and looked at the two of them with suspicion.

Lo Qingzhu smiled. "My uncle lives in Black Bear City. Since it was on the way, we decided to pay him a visit."

"On the way?" Qin Feiyang was slightly taken aback. From her tone, it seemed Lo Qingzhu didn’t think very highly of this so-called uncle. But since this was her family’s affair, he decided not to pry.

Zhao Shuang’er said, "Qin Feiyang, you need to be extremely careful now. Don’t expose your identity. The War King who is chasing you is from the Lin family in Yan City. Furthermore, according to our inquiries, every city in Yan Province now has members of the Lin family stationed there."

Lo Qingzhu added, "We arrived in Black Bear City this morning. Your wanted poster was already out yesterday, so we decided to look into it."

"Such a grand deployment. Those bastards really hold me in high regard," Qin Feiyang scoffed.

WHOOSH!

Just then, a whistling sound cut through the air.

Qin Feiyang looked over. His expression flickered for a moment, then a playful smirk touched his lips. The newcomer was indeed the old man in black who guarded the medicinal field.

Mu Fei and Jiang Wei were also there. At this moment, however, both were bruised and battered, looking like two injured little chicks, one clutched in each of the old man’s hands.

Qin Feiyang chuckled inwardly, gloating over their misfortune.

"Cousin Brother!" Suddenly, an alarmed voice rang out beside him.

"What?" He was completely taken aback, turned to look at Lo Qingzhu, and asked, "Who is your Cousin Brother?"

"Him." Lo Qingzhu pointed to Jiang Wei.

Qin Feiyang was dumbfounded. Jiang Wei is Lo Qingzhu’s cousin? What an incredible coincidence!

"Cousin Sister? What are you doing here?" Jiang Wei exclaimed upon seeing Lo Qingzhu, his initial surprise quickly turning into a plea. "Cousin Sister, please help me!"

The old man in black also looked at Lo Qingzhu, a flicker of surprise in his eyes, but he said nothing and strode past the three of them.

"Cousin Sister, please, you have to help me! If I’m taken to the Elixir Palace, I’ll be skinned alive even if I’m not killed!" Jiang Wei cried out anxiously.

Lo Qingzhu’s delicate brows furrowed. Finally, with a sigh, she turned to the old man in black. "Sir, could you wait a moment, please."

The man in black robes paused, turned to Lo Qingzhu, and said in a grim voice, "Lo Qingzhu, I know you’re no ordinary person, but Jiang Wei is in serious trouble this time. Even you might not be able to save him."

"May I ask, respected senior, what could be so serious?" Lo Qingzhu frowned.

The man in black robes said, "He and Mu Fei plundered all the medicinal materials from the Elixir Palace’s medicinal fields. Would you not call that serious?"

"What?" Lo Qingzhu’s expression changed, and she rebuked angrily, "Cousin Brother, how could you do such a thing?"

Jiang Wei hastily said, "I was framed! Mu Fei and I were used!"

Mu Fei chimed in, "Yes, yes! It was Qin Feiyang and that damnable wolf! But no matter how we explain, this old bastard refuses to believe us!"

"Hm?" Lo Qingzhu and Zhao Shuang’er glanced at each other, then involuntarily looked towards Qin Feiyang.

Qin Feiyang stood ramrod straight, his expression one of utter innocence, showing no sign of guilt whatsoever.

Seeing this, Jiang Wei nearly wet himself from anxiety. "Cousin Sister," he urged, "what good will looking at him do? Hurry and think of something! I’m truly innocent!"

Little did he know, the person his cousin was observing was the true culprit.

Lo Qingzhu collected herself, looked at the man in black robes, and curtsied. "Senior, I know my cousin’s character very well. He would never dare to do such a thing. Could you please show some leniency?"

"This matter has not yet been fully investigated. I cannot possibly hand him over to you." With that, the man in black robes turned and strode towards the city. As for Qin Feiyang, he had only glanced at him once from beginning to end.

After watching the man in black robes leave, Lo Qingzhu turned to Qin Feiyang, her voice sharp with anger. "You are far too audacious! Do you even realize what you’re doing?"

"Qin Feiyang, you were truly reckless this time," Zhao Shuang’er said, shaking her head with a sigh. "The threat from the Lin family of Yan City hasn’t even been resolved, and now you’ve offended the Elixir Palace. You really are...唉, I don’t even know what to say."

"I didn’t do anything. Don’t go accusing an innocent man," Qin Feiyang declared, his face a mask of injured innocence, his tone full of righteous indignation.

No matter what, he couldn’t admit to this.

"You? An innocent man?" The two women were simultaneously angry and amused.

"You’d best look out for yourself!" Lo Qingzhu said coldly, then turned and hurried away.

Qin Feiyang asked in a low voice, "Miss Shuang’er, is Lo Qingzhu not on good terms with her uncle’s family?"

Zhao Shuang’er shook her head. "It seems there’s some friction, but I don’t know the specifics."

Qin Feiyang asked, "Then why are you with her?"

Zhao Shuang’er smiled. "I want to enter the Martial King Palace in Star Moon City, so I asked for her help. She’s a good person and agreed to help me without hesitation."

"Then congratulations in advance."

"The Martial King Palace’s assessment is much stricter than the Martial Palace’s. Whether I can pass is another matter entirely."

"With your talent, I’m sure you’ll succeed."

"Thank you."

The two chatted as they walked towards the city gate.

As they neared the gate, Zhao Shuang’er whispered, "Although you’ve changed your appearance now, you should still be discreet when selling those medicinal materials to avoid suspicion."

"I don’t have any medicinal materials; what would I sell? Unless... you’d like to give me some?" Qin Feiyang said.

"You are truly dishonest." Zhao Shuang’er rolled her eyes at him, then turned, offering him a view of her elegant departing figure as she stepped into the city and disappeared into the crowd.

A slight smile touched Qin Feiyang’s lips. This girl is quite shrewd, trying to trick me with her words, but she’s still a bit too green.

But Zhao Shuang’er had a point; it was indeed necessary to be cautious. Moreover, he couldn’t sell everything at once. It would have to be done in several batches.

Arriving at the city gate and glancing at the wanted poster bearing his old face, Qin Feiyang brazenly walked into the city. He found a very ordinary tavern to stay in for the time being, primarily because he was penniless. High-end, luxurious establishments were currently far beyond his means, something he could only look at with longing.

「After a night’s rest.」

The next morning, Qin Feiyang bought a cloak and a set of black clothes. After slightly disguising himself, he entered Black Bear City’s Treasure Pavilion. He successfully sold the first batch of medicinal materials, earning 2,100 gold coins.

However, he immediately exchanged those 2,100 gold coins for Qi Gathering Pills—a total of one thousand pills.

「The following few days.」

Qin Feiyang remained hidden in the ancient castle, practicing the second stroke of the character ’Return’.

「Three days later.」

Suddenly, the iron-bound book radiated a dazzling light!

The second stroke was finally complete.

BOOM!

His cultivation realm also broke through, and he became a Three Star Martial Master!

"Uncle Yuan, thank you for this treasure," Qin Feiyang muttered.

If this continued, he wouldn’t need to cultivate at all! Simply practicing the strokes every day would cause his strength to soar! However, the rate at which he consumed Qi Gathering Pills made his heart ache.

He and the Wolf King had split the one thousand Qi Gathering Pills evenly. The Wolf King still had three hundred left, but Qin Feiyang’s were already completely used up.

"Gold Coins, oh Gold Coins, why do you disappear so quickly?" Qin Feiyang lamented.

Feeling a wave of helplessness, Qin Feiyang left the ancient castle. He then exited the tavern and headed back to the Treasure Pavilion, preparing to sell the second batch of medicinal materials.