The Devil's Mask could conceal his identity. There were many things in the Divine Realm where it was inconvenient for him to show his face, but with the Devil's Mask, he could operate under a different persona in the shadows, doing many things his original identity couldn't.
And now was the perfect time.
Shi Feng stepped out of the inn and glanced around. He noticed several players behaving strangely, staring fixedly at the inn's entrance as though they were waiting for something. However, thanks to the Devil's Mask, none of them noticed him.
"Why hasn't that kid come out yet? Is he just going to hole up in there until his red name wears off?" an Assassin sitting outside the inn muttered impatiently.
"What's the rush? That kid's as good as dead. He dared to ambush Boss Iron Sword and killed so many of our brothers. The Martial Alliance has sworn an unending feud with him. I'd love to see how long he can hide. If he's dumb enough to wait for his red name to clear without grinding mobs to reduce his infamy, it'll take at least thirty-plus hours. Even if he's strong right now, after thirty-some hours our gear and levels will have pulled way ahead of his. Taking him back down to level zero will be even easier," another Assassin sneered.
While these Martial Alliance members chatted and mocked Shi Feng, they had no idea that he was standing right beside them, hearing every single word.
"The Martial Alliance works fast — sending a squad of Assassins to tail me. They really do think highly of me. Too bad I don't have time to play along with them. Let them wait all the way until dawn."
Shi Feng had long anticipated that Iron Sword Mad Lion wouldn't let him off the hook. After all, he'd clashed with the man countless times in his previous life and understood his personality all too well. The man was the type who absolutely had to settle every grudge, no matter the cost. As long as he could get revenge, he would do it — and return it a hundredfold.
Put nicely, that made him straightforward. Put bluntly, he was single-minded and easy to read.
With that, Shi Feng casually strolled away from the inn while a squad of Assassins foolishly kept watch at the entrance, laughing about how cowardly Shi Feng was for hiding inside an inn, when he'd die in the end anyway.
In front of the Auction House in the Trade District, the crowd was a sea of bodies. There was no way to squeeze inside to buy materials, so he gave up and headed to the Chef's Association first, to check on Ziyan Liuyun's progress.
Compared to the currently popular Forge Association, the Chef's Association was practically deserted, with only a scattered handful of Life Players coming and going.
Before entering the rented kitchen, Shi Feng adjusted the Devil's Mask, restoring his original appearance and concealing his red name.
Once inside, he found Ziyan Liuyun completely absorbed in crafting Ice Juice. Her technique was remarkably refined and swift, and her skill level had reached three, surpassing many other Life Players by a good margin.
He had seen plenty of culinary masters crafting cold beverages in his previous life, but none of them had moved with the kind of natural smoothness that Ziyan Liuyun displayed — it was as if the whole process flowed from her like it was meant to be. He found it hard to believe that she had told him her crafting speed was slow. She was clearly fast enough to take one's breath away. Had Ziyan Liuyun been lying to him?
Shi Feng shook his head, deciding that made no sense at all. He walked over and suddenly asked, "Ziyan, how's it going?"
But Ziyan Liuyun didn't seem to hear him in the slightest. She remained utterly focused on crafting Ice Juice, her mind free of all distractions.
Seeing that level of concentration, Shi Feng marveled inwardly. Rather than disturbing her, he stood to the side and watched.
A full ten-plus minutes passed before Ziyan Liuyun finally noticed Shi Feng's presence. By then, she had already crafted over ten cups of Ice Juice, each one a clear, vibrant hue that faintly gave off a tempting fragrance.
Just as she had used up the materials in her hands and was about to fetch more—