I Am the True Lord of Running Away

Chapter 179: Chapter 179: I Have to Run Away After All

BOOM—!

Hearing the enormous crash from far behind him, Jiang Xu flinched.

’Goodness, Foundation Establishment Cultivators really are impressive.’

’It’s just that this guy doesn’t seem too bright.’

Jiang Xu clutched the Foundation Establishment Pill in his hand, recalling the Alchemist’s instructions from the Alchemy Pavilion on how to take it.

There weren’t many, really.

The Alchemist had said that while one could take multiple Foundation Establishment Pills, a cultivator could only consume a maximum of three during a single attempt at Foundation Establishment. Any more would cause harm to the cultivator, even if they successfully broke through.

Jiang Xu didn’t have to worry about that, though, since he only had one.

There was one other warning.

When advancing to Foundation Establishment, a cultivator had to be in an absolutely safe location for half a month. During this period, they would be unconscious and unable to sense any external danger, so they had to rely on others to guard them or be in a secure place.

This meant Jiang Xu’s original plan to break through as soon as he got the Foundation Establishment Pill was no longer feasible.

Seeing how furious Elder Qian was, forget half a month—he probably wanted to find Jiang Xu’s residence and take his revenge within half a day.

If he wanted to break through to Foundation Establishment, he would have to wait until after he left the Sect.

"It’s a bit of a shame. I worked so hard to become an Inner Sect Disciple, and now I have to leave right after coming back to my old stomping grounds. I have no idea when I’ll be able to return."

Still, he had seen everyone he needed to see this time. If he left now, he wouldn’t have any regrets.

The only thing he hadn’t expected was not being able to see Zong Ziqi.

Thinking of Zong Ziqi, Jiang Xu couldn’t help but worry again.

"You seem to have a lot of enemies, my friend. Demon Cultivators are one thing, but why are Righteous Cultivators after you too?"

Jiang Xu didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

He hadn’t seen the guy in three years, and in that time, he’d somehow managed to piss off both gods and men. Who knew where he was now, getting chased down by someone.

Recalling the words of that little old man from before, as well as Elder Qian’s outburst, Jiang Xu was now certain that Zong Ziqi was likely in real danger.

Along the way, Jiang Xu took out his Communication Pearl and activated the Seeking Technique.

In an instant, fine, thread-like lines of energy began to emerge on the pearl’s once-smooth, mirror-like surface.

These lines danced like living things, weaving together into an invisible net. Each thread represented a cultivator’s aura and location.

Jiang Xu focused his mind, immersing himself completely. He patiently searched among the countless threads, each one representing the aura of a cultivator who had once held this object.

Finally, among the multitude of lines, Jiang Xu caught a familiar and distinct aura.

This thread was different from the rest, like the North Star among a sea of glittering stars. Though hidden amidst thousands of other lights, its unique fluctuation allowed Jiang Xu to recognize it at a glance.

The line extended from the Communication Pearl like a beacon from a lighthouse, silently pointing in Zong Ziqi’s direction.

However, this thread of energy seemed somewhat dim, lacking the vitality of the others.

It seemed Zong Ziqi really was in trouble.

He put away the Communication Pearl for now.

Since he had already decided to leave the Sect, he needed to make a plan for where to go next.

For the sake of his breakthrough and personal safety, the ideal location would have to meet several criteria.

First, it needed a Spirit Vein rich with Spiritual Qi, which was crucial for improving his Cultivation.

Second, the environment had to be relatively peaceful, preferably avoiding places with frequent conflicts between the Righteous and Demonic Daos, so he wouldn’t be dragged into the maelstrom.

The current fighting might only involve Foundation Establishment Cultivators, but if things escalated, Golden Core Cultivators could very well join the fray.

Furthermore, the place needed an ample supply of resources, especially a Marketplace where he could trade for various cultivation necessities. It would also be great if it had some places to relax...

However, as Jiang Xu carefully considered the entirety of Dinghai State, he realized it would be difficult to find a place that met all his requirements.

To find such a place, he might have to wait until after he successfully reached Foundation Establishment, then leave Dinghai State for another State Domain.

But the thought of leaving Dinghai State for other, unknown regions filled Jiang Xu with apprehension.

After all, while a Foundation Establishment Stage cultivation was nothing to scoff at, in the vast, boundless Cultivation Realm, it was still as insignificant as a drop in the ocean.

Without a detailed map to guide him, and with no knowledge of the terrain, power dynamics, or potential dangers of other State Domains, rushing into a new territory would be incredibly reckless.

If he accidentally wandered into a lawless place like Canglang State, where evil forces ran rampant, he could find himself in a perilous situation, even as a Foundation Establishment Cultivator.

What was more daunting was that there weren’t always convenient official roads connecting the State Domains. The borders between them were often blocked by natural forbidden zones or massive Sects, like the mysterious and unpredictable Endless Forest, or those powerful Sects that dominated their territory and tolerated no trespassers.

Therefore, for the current Jiang Xu, venturing into an unfamiliar region without adequate preparation was just a pipe dream. It was safer to remain in Dinghai State.

For Jiang Xu right now, since he had already provoked an Elder, there was no need to stay in the Sect any longer.

His top priority should be to flee the Sect before Elder Qian could react and start causing trouble for him.

Staying in the Sect after angering a superior would be like willingly sticking his head in a noose.

After escaping the Sect, he would use the Seeking Technique to find Zong Ziqi and see if he could help him out.

If he could, he would.

If it was truly impossible, all Jiang Xu could do was pray for Zong Ziqi.

After all, Jiang Xu hadn’t even reached Foundation Establishment yet. His cultivation was shallow, and his combat strength was genuinely weak.

If Zong Ziqi really met an unfortunate end, then so be it. After a month or so, once Jiang Xu reached Foundation Establishment, he would kill all the enemies who had hunted Zong Ziqi down and avenge him.

With his mind made up, Jiang Xu immediately turned and bolted in the direction of the Sect’s exit.

He didn’t even go back to his own residence.

It’s not like he had anything valuable there anyway.

Just some pots and pans, and a few Ancient Texts he had borrowed from Shen Ji.

"Huh? Ancient Texts?"

Jiang Xu stopped dead in his tracks.

"How could I have forgotten about that!"

Jiang Xu was ecstatic.

Shen Ji loved collecting Ancient Texts! And after spending so many years in the Scripture Pavilion, she knew far more than he did.

If he went to her, he could definitely learn everything about the surrounding State Domains.

And not just information about the current State Domains, but also about events that occurred within them during Ancient Times. He could learn it all at once.

Lately, Jiang Xu had become quite interested in such matters of Ancient Times.

A lot of recent events seemed to be inextricably linked to the ancient past.

If Shen Ji’s cultivation weren’t so low, Jiang Xu would have been tempted to kidnap her and use her as a walking library.