I Am the True Lord of Running Away

Chapter 175: Chapter 175: The High Pressure Within the Profound Origin Sect

Three years had passed. From the moment Jiang Xu left the Talisman Pavilion, the memory of that viridian bamboo grove began to stir in his heart.

He slowly walked along the familiar path, the scene before his eyes gradually overlapping with his memories.

The babbling brook was still crystal clear, and butterflies still danced through the air. It was as if time had stood still here, with everything just as it used to be.

’It’s been three whole years, yet my home is untouched. No one has taken it over.’ Jiang Xu sighed inwardly, an indescribable emotion showing in his eyes.

As he walked deeper, the serene and secluded bamboo grove gradually opened up, revealing a small, quaint, and slightly dilapidated courtyard. A thick layer of dust coated the gate, and time had left its aged mark on the wooden frame. Even so, Jiang Xu’s heart pounded with excitement at the sight of it.

Jiang Xu stood before the gate to his home. Despite the desolate and silent surroundings, a powerful thrill surged within him.

It was the feeling of a long-lost wanderer, weathered by storms, finally setting foot on the path home. Though his eyes fell upon ruin, every inch of soil, every leaf of bamboo, was laden with profound memories.

After using a Dust-removal Talisman to clear away all the dust, Jiang Xu pushed open the door and walked in.

Inside the small courtyard, the crude booby traps Jiang Xu had set up long ago were still in place. It was clear no one had entered.

Stepping back inside the house, he found the layout and furnishings were exactly as he remembered.

There was nothing of great value, but Jiang Xu still cherished it all.

After a short while, Jiang Xu left the room, closing the door behind him as he headed back outside.

Jiang Xu headed toward the spot where he and Zong Ziqi used to train. Upon arriving, he noticed it didn’t look abandoned at all. In fact, it seemed someone had been practicing there recently.

It was most likely Zong Ziqi.

’Zong Ziqi is an Elder now, but he’s still here...’

This made Jiang Xu feel a little touched.

Of course, he probably wasn’t reminiscing about Jiang Xu. It was just as likely he couldn’t be bothered to find a new spot.

After a quick search failed to turn up Zong Ziqi, Jiang Xu put the matter aside and decided to find Shen Ji and Ding Shiping to catch up.

Jiang Xu looked for Ding Shiping first, but he wasn’t in the Sect. It seemed he had gone off to war.

The fact that he wasn’t dead was certainly cause for celebration.

As for Shen Ji, he had also become an Inner Sect Disciple now.

He was ecstatic to see Jiang Xu, as he too had assumed Jiang Xu was dead.

...

When Jiang Xu returned to his home, he saw a red glow in front of the door.

Seeing Jiang Xu return, the red light immediately zipped over to his side.

"Your spot as an Inner Sect Disciple is now confirmed. Go to the General Affairs Hall as soon as possible to register. You’ll get your things there too."

The voice from the Sound Transmission Talisman was Leng Qingqiu’s.

She sounded quite happy. Jiang Xu figured the little tips he’d taught her—things he’d seen online—must have been quite effective.

’See, I told you an online love guru is still a love guru! Those romance bloggers really do know what they’re talking about!’

Afterward, Jiang Xu immediately went to the General Affairs Hall.

Ever since arriving at the Profound Origin Sect, Jiang Xu had found it filled with a tense atmosphere.

Everyone in the Sect, from the newest disciples to the most senior Elders, was in a state of frantic, tense activity. They all moved with a rushed, urgent rhythm, as if someone were cracking a whip at their backs.

This was because the Sect had issued them incredibly strict orders.

Nurture troops for a thousand days to use them for one moment.

The saying was a perfect description of the Profound Origin Sect’s current situation.

In times of peace, the Sect supports you, allocating resources to help you advance your Realm and increase your strength.

Now, it was time for you to repay the Sect.

Therefore, most of the Cultivators were now either out fighting Demon Cultivators...

...or, if they remained in the Sect for support roles like Talisman Making or Alchemy, they were working day and night to meet absurdly high production quotas.

Only the injured or crippled Cultivators had a slightly more leisurely time. But they couldn’t be left completely idle, so they were sent to places like the General Affairs Hall to handle relatively easy chores. It was a form of recycling, in a way.

Consequently, when Jiang Xu arrived at the General Affairs Hall, he found it staffed by the old, weak, and infirm—a complete departure from the place he remembered.

"Excuse me, Senior Brother," Jiang Xu asked. "I’m here to complete the procedure for my promotion to Inner Sect Disciple. Could you tell me what I need to do?"

"COUGH, COUGH, COUGH... What did you say?" The old man seemed hard of hearing; he couldn’t make out what Jiang Xu had said at all.

"I said I want to process my promotion to the Inner Sect!" Jiang Xu shouted.

"What? You want to convert to the Buddhist Sect? Junior Brother, you can’t just say things like that!"

"When did I say I wanted to convert to the Buddhist Sect?! I said I’m here to complete the process of becoming an Inner Sect Disciple!"

"What? You want to make a full confession of your crime? What did you do? This isn’t the Law Enforcement Hall."

"Grandpa, what’s with your hearing!"

"You’re bringing me a herring? Aiya, you kid, no need to be so polite. Thanks, but I’m not hungry!"

"Can you handle this or not? If you can’t, then I’m leaving!"

"Alright then. See yourself out."

Jiang Xu was fuming. ’You couldn’t hear a damn thing I said before, but you heard *that* perfectly clearly.’

’If you’re not doing this on purpose, I’ll twist your head off and kick it around like a ball.’

"I was personally designated by Elder Leng for promotion to the Inner Sect. If you don’t process this in time, the next person to come looking for you will be Elder Leng herself!" Jiang Xu played his trump card.

The old man across the counter dropped his muddled act in an instant. His face broke into a wide, cheerful grin as he came out from behind the counter, grabbing Jiang Xu’s arm and pulling him inside.

"Aiya! So you were sent by Elder Leng! Why didn’t you say so sooner? How embarrassing! I thought you were just some clueless young punk who didn’t know the rules, barging in here without so much as a small gesture of respect."

Then the little old man sighed.

"The Profound Origin Sect is in a tight spot with the war right now. Us old, weak, useless Cultivators have had our monthly stipends cut off completely. We were sent here to the General Affairs Hall, where we work ourselves to the bone every day without earning a single Spirit Stone. If we don’t find ways like this to make a little extra, we won’t even be able to afford the Spirit Rice we need to eat."

’They even stopped their monthly stipends?’

Only now did Jiang Xu understand why these people acted this way.

It seemed they didn’t want to do this either, but they were forced into it.

Jiang Xu took out two Spirit Stones and placed them in the little old man’s hand.

"Senior Brother, I’ve only just reached the Qi Cultivation Middle Stage, so I don’t have many Spirit Stones. Please, take these."

The little old man didn’t stand on ceremony and accepted the Spirit Stones immediately. It seemed he was truly in need.

"I’ll accept these Spirit Stones. But I won’t let you spend them for nothing. If you have any questions, just ask. My Cultivation may be low, but I’ve been in the Profound Origin Sect for a long, long time. I know a thing or two."