I Am the True Lord of Running Away

Chapter 178: Chapter 178: Do You Have a Mental Problem?

Hard-pressed to save himself?

"How is that possible? The Sect Elder has Mastery of Thunder Skills and is also a Body Cultivator. His survival ability is exceptional. Even if he couldn’t win, he should have had no problem escaping!" Jiang Xu couldn’t help but retort.

"Hmph, what would a mere Qi Cultivation disciple like you know about these matters? That Zong Ziqi didn’t just provoke Demon Cultivators; even within the Righteous Dao, there are people who want him dead..."

Suddenly, the Elder before him stopped, as if realizing he had said too much. He then dropped the act and said harshly:

"Why am I wasting my breath on you? Are you going to hand it over or not! I’ll be honest with you, your friendship with Zong Ziqi is completely useless here.

Hand it over, and I, Qian Jianjun, will owe you a favor. In the future, you’ll still have a backer here in the Profound Origin Sect.

If you don’t, I have a hundred ways to make you hand it over while you’re on your knees, crying and begging. When that happens, forget about getting any Spirit Stones—it’ll be a question of whether you can even keep your life!"

Hearing Qian Jianjun’s unveiled threats, Jiang Xu knew the Elder’s patience had run out.

If he didn’t agree, one could only imagine the suffering that awaited him.

But even if he did agree, the Elder was just making empty promises.

Forget about being his backer; the man claimed he would give him Spirit Stones, but he hadn’t even reached for his Storage Bag once.

Jiang Xu feared that if he handed over the Spirit Medicine, the Elder would likely just give him lip service about the payment.

It would surely end with nothing.

In fact, that was precisely what Qian Jianjun was thinking.

’If he hands it over to me,’ he thought, ’I’ll give him a few dozen Spirit Stones as a token gesture, write an IOU for the rest, and then use some delaying tactics. After dragging it out for a while, the whole thing will blow over.’

’If he tries to collect the debt with the IOU, I can just claim I know nothing about it and that the note is a forgery. I might even be able to turn the tables and report him to the Law Enforcement Hall.’

Jiang Xu was so furious he wanted to curse the man’s ancestors.

’This old scoundrel is truly despicable and shameless!’

’He wants to just snatch away something I worked so hard to get?’

’I’m the only one who gets to rob others!’

Hand it over? Jiang Xu was a million times unwilling to do so.

But if he didn’t, his survival in the Sect would become fraught with difficulty.

On the surface, Jiang Xu was just an Inner Sect Disciple at the Qi Cultivation Middle Stage.

There were many rules in the Sect, and disciples like him were powerless against them.

For instance, one of the Top Ten Inner Disciples like Yan Chunyu could order Outer Disciples around.

Leng Qingqiu had been able to get Jiang Xu assigned to a mission that took him out of the Sect and into the Marketplace.

As a Foundation Establishment Elder, the power he wielded in the Sect was far greater than that of Yan Chunyu or Leng Qingqiu.

If Jiang Xu were to remain in the Sect under these circumstances, it might prove to be even more dangerous than the world outside.

But he was reluctant to leave the Sect.

’It’s safe in the Sect, the benefits are great, the work isn’t tiring, and there are scriptures to read...’

As he mentally listed the Sect’s advantages, Jiang Xu suddenly felt that something was wrong.

Safe?

’I just got back and have already run into several incidents. I was secretly reported on, and now an Elder is trying to forcibly ’purchase’ my Spirit Medicine. This doesn’t seem very safe at all.’

Great benefits?

’The promotion rewards for Inner Sect Disciples have been cut by more than half, and the monthly stipend is down by half too. The benefits aren’t great at all.’

Not tiring?

’I can still vividly recall those Talisman Makers in the Talisman Pavilion working day and night without rest.’

Access to scriptures?

’Well, yes, but you have to spend Spirit Stones to read them. Why couldn’t I just buy them outside the Sect? I could get what I need that way too.’

After thinking all this through, Jiang Xu had an epiphany.

’Why do I have to stay in the Sect?’

His whole purpose for joining the Sect this time was to get a Foundation Establishment Pill as a safeguard for his breakthrough to Foundation Establishment, just in case something went wrong.

Now that the Foundation Establishment Pill was almost in his hands, he was free to stay or leave. There was no need to remain in the Profound Origin Sect.

’I can just slip away!’

’Once I’m gone, what can some bullshit Elder do to me?!’

Across from him, Qian Jianjun watched as Jiang Xu’s expression shifted from a pained frown to deep contemplation, and finally to a look of sudden, happy realization. The Elder couldn’t help but wonder to himself.

’What’s wrong with this kid? Could it be that my terms were too harsh and he was driven mad by anger? Has he lost his mind?’

’Sigh! The young Cultivators these days really can’t compare to the previous generation. They fall apart at the slightest setback. They’ll never amount to anything.’

’It’s just one Foundation Establishment Pill, it’s not like I’m asking for your life.’

’Back in my day, I watched my Martial Uncle bully my Dao-Companion right in front of me without batting an eye. That’s how I achieved what I have today.’

’But look at the Cultivators now. They can’t handle the slightest adversity. He probably wouldn’t even succeed with this Foundation Establishment Pill. It would be of far greater use in my hands!’

"Alright, have you made up your mind yet!" Qian Jianjun asked impatiently.

"I have."

"Should’ve just done it earlier, shouldn’t you? Since you’ve decided, hand it over. I won’t treat you unfairly!"

"Give it to you? As if! Why should I give something I worked so hard for to you? Who the hell do you think you are!" With his worries gone, Jiang Xu mocked him openly.

"?"

Qian Jianjun hadn’t anticipated this situation at all. He was completely stunned.

He had considered that Jiang Xu might refuse, but he never expected this kind of attitude.

’He’s actually cursing me out right to my face?’

Qian Jianjun could rack his brain and still not understand how he’d gotten this response.

His first reaction wasn’t even anger.

It was suspicion that he had gone too far and scared the boy silly.

"I think there might be something wrong with my ears. Could you say that again?" Qian Jianjun asked, confused.

"Say it again? Who the hell do you think you are! Why should I say it again for you!"

Now Qian Jianjun was sure.

He’d really scared the boy stupid. Or driven him insane.

"Conveniently, this is the Alchemy Pavilion. If there’s one thing we have in abundance, it’s medicine. You wait here, I’ll go ask what kinds of Elixirs there are for treating mental problems."

With that, Qian Jianjun hurried away.

Seeing Qian Jianjun actually leave to buy an Elixir, Jiang Xu was dumbfounded.

"Wait, what? I’m not sick."

But since the Elder had finally left, Jiang Xu seized the opportunity. He hurried to the Elixir exchange counter, traded his Spirit Medicine for a Foundation Establishment Pill, and left.

Once he was clear of the Alchemy Pavilion, Jiang Xu immediately activated his Stealth mode to avoid being found by that Elder Qian and made a run for it.

By the time Qian Jianjun finally managed to find and buy an Elixir and returned, he found that Jiang Xu was gone and the place was empty.

A cold gust of wind blew past, snapping the dazed Qian Jianjun back to his senses.

This time, he finally realized that the boy really hadn’t wanted to give him the pill and had run away.

And, his mind was probably perfectly fine.

Which meant... Jiang Xu had genuinely cursed him out.

「That day.」

Every Alchemist in the Alchemy Pavilion heard a tremendous explosion coming from an unknown location.