Severing Ties: The Sect Regrets My Departure

Chapter 181: Shameless Scoundrel, This Is Too Much!

“It’s been hours. Why hasn’t that Jiang Xun from Azure Mystic come out yet?”

“Do you think he played us? Used some secret art to slip away?”

“We received word that he sent our disciples away to face the Divine Platform alone. That reeks of a scheme to escape unnoticed.”

At the entrance to the ruins, a group of Bibo Sect Elders paced back and forth, their faces etched with anxiety. Several hours had passed since Jiang Xun had entered. For an ordinary disciple exploring a ruin for the first time, this duration was standard. But Jiang Xun was different. He had Bibo Sect disciples guiding him and clearly possessed the means to bypass the restrictions.

For him to be silent for this long was abnormal.

Leng Mingshu’s brow was furrowed tight, though she tried to maintain a facade of calm. “Perhaps he is in the middle of receiving the inheritance. Let us wait a little longer.”

Since the Deputy Sect Leader had spoken, the others had no choice but to suppress their restlessness. Yet, resentment brewed in their hearts.

“Handing over the inheritance on a silver platter… it’s stifling.”

“If this Fated Chance went to anyone else, I could stomach it. But giving it to someone from Azure Mystic? That is hard to swallow. This Jiang Xun is clearly no virtuous cultivator. Did you see how he flaunted those forging materials he took?”

“We had no choice. Our only hope now is that he honors the agreement and brings out the Profound Yin Soul-Protecting Pill.”

The hostility the Bibo Sect held toward the Azure Mystic Sacred Land ran deep. If Jiang Xun wasn’t the only one capable of navigating the mine ruins, they would have found 10,000 reasons to bar him entry. The thought of surrendering their ruins to a rival sect was galling.

“As long as the green hills remain, there’ll be no shortage of firewood,” Leng Mingshu said, her voice soft but firm. “Our priority is curing Senior Sister. Everything else is secondary.”

“If it truly cures the Headmaster, then it is worth it. I only fear that Jiang Xun is deceiving us. He has the eyes of a snake,” one Elder muttered.

The comment made everyone tense. The reputation of Azure Mystic was far from sterling. No one could guarantee Jiang Xun’s integrity.

Leng Mingshu pursed her lips, a cold light flickering in her eyes. “If that is truly the case… then we will tear off all pretense with Azure Mystic.”

Huh?

The gathered Elders started. Was it wise to say such things aloud? Aside from a few high-ranking veterans, most were unaware of the alliance between Leng Mingshu and the Red-Robed Ancestor. They assumed the sect was merely seeking allies for protection.

Before anyone could press for details, a terrifying pulse of energy erupted from the depths of the ruins. It was a power that made hearts palpitate and souls tremble.

“Supreme power!”

“Has the Azure Mystic Supreme arrived?”

“No, someone triggered a Supreme’s attack. It must be Jiang Xun!”

“What is he doing? Did he encounter a beast?”

The Elders guarding the entrance were all seasoned cultivators. They instantly recognized the signature of the energy. Anticipation spiked in their chests.

“He’s coming!” someone shouted.

Deep within the mine tunnel, a figure was sprinting toward them in a frantic blur. It was undoubtedly Jiang Xun.

But his appearance was wretched.

His snow-white robes were dyed crimson, soaked through with blood. One arm hung uselessly at his side, swaying with the rhythm of his desperate flight. He was coughing up mouthfuls of blood as he ran, and through the tears in his clothing, the Elders could see glimpses of exposed internal organs.

Hiss—!

The group drew a sharp breath. What kind of horror had he faced inside to be reduced to such a state?

“Elder Leng! Don’t just stand there! Help me!” Jiang Xun screamed as he neared the exit.

Leng Mingshu reacted instantly, flying forward to meet him. However, she positioned herself to block his path slightly, ensuring he couldn’t dash past without stopping.

Jiang Xun seemed to expect this. He opened his working hand, revealing a pill bottle. “The Profound Yin Soul-Protecting Pill is here! I’m being hunted because of it! Why aren’t you helping?!”

As the words left his mouth, the air shimmered, and two massive stone statues materialized out of thin air behind him. Without a pause, they launched a crushing attack.

Jiang Xun was not without resources. Facing the descending stone fists, he slapped several Talismans onto his body and crushed a jade slip he had been clutching in his palm.

Boom—!

The aura of the Azure Mystic Supreme descended.

Jiang Xun didn’t hesitate to trigger the jade slip directly in front of him. The shockwave collided with the two stone statues that had flashed into range.

The explosion was deafening. The two newly formed constructs were instantly pulverized by the terrifying Supreme power.

But it was only a physical destruction.

The moment the statues shattered, the flying debris began to boil and writhe. In the blink of an eye, the fragments were already pulling themselves back together.

He had forcibly removed an item from the ruins, triggering the Laws of the domain. These guardians were immortal and indestructible.

“Attack!”

Leng Mingshu glanced at the pill in Jiang Xun’s hand. Gritting her teeth, she shouted the order.

The Bibo Sect Elders swarmed forward, intercepting the reforming statues with a barrage of spells and artifacts.

But the moment they engaged, Jiang Xun made his move. He slapped two speed-enhancing Talismans onto his legs, his velocity exploding as he shot toward the exit of the mine tunnel.

Leng Mingshu’s heart tightened. She moved to chase him.

Jiang Xun, anticipating her reaction, spun around and hurled the pill bottle high into the air—directly toward the stone statues.

“Elder Leng! I have fulfilled our agreement and retrieved the pill at great personal cost! You must ensure my safety! Hold off the statues!”

Even without his shout, Leng Mingshu had no choice. The Profound Yin Soul-Protecting Pill was sailing through the air, right into the center of the chaotic melee with the statues.

It was a blatant move to divert disaster. Jiang Xun was using the pill as bait to force them to fight his battle while he escaped in the confusion.

Leng Mingshu saw through it instantly. But seeing the trap didn’t mean she could avoid it. The Sect Leader’s life hung by a thread. The pill was more important than vengeance.

Without hesitation, she abandoned her pursuit of Jiang Xun and dove toward the stone statues.

“Cover me!” she shrieked.

Her cultivation was profound, but facing two enraged, indestructible guardians was a nightmare. She fought with reckless abandon, trading injury for injury, willing to suffer heavy damage just to secure the bottle.

Luck was on her side. After a perilous clash, she snatched the bottle from the air.

She retreated to safety, clutching the prize. But the moment her spiritual sense swept over the pill, her expression froze.

“Shameless scoundrel! You dare deceive me with a fake?!”

The pill in her hand looked identical to the Profound Yin Soul-Protecting Pill on the surface. But the interior was unmistakable—it was nothing more than a common Calming Spirit Pill.

She roared in fury, but it was too late.

In the time it took her to secure the fake, Jiang Xun had already burst out of the tunnel. He transformed into a streak of rainbow light, fleeing toward the Heaven-Leveling Mountains without looking back.

He had actually run away!

“Scoundrel! That treacherous rat provoked the statues to pin us down! He broke the contract! He was plotting against us from the start!”

“Damn him! Damn him to hell! He stripped our ruins clean and thanked us with a fake pill! I hate him!”

A moment later, the Elders rushed out of the tunnel. The stone statues halted at the edge of the darkness, bound by the restrictions of the ruins.

Though they were safe from the guardians, the Bibo Sect Elders were trembling with rage. Their eyes were bloodshot, practically popping out of their sockets.

They had considered the possibility of deception, but desperation had forced them to trust him. They never imagined Jiang Xun from Azure Mystic could be so utterly devoid of shame.

He had cheated them of their trust, looted their heritage, and violated the contract.

And as a final insult, he had nearly gotten them killed for a worthless fake!

“Azure Mystic has gone too far! This is not just an insult; they are murdering our Sect Leader!”

“We must seek justice!”

“Senior Sister Mingshu, we march on Azure Mystic!”

“Yes! This is bullying of the highest order! Even if I have to Self-Destruct my core, I will make them pay!”

“Kill our way to Azure Mystic!”

Even a clay figurine has a temper when molded too roughly. Jiang Xun’s actions had crossed every line of decency. The Elders were beyond reason. Several were ready to die just to tear a piece of flesh from their enemy.

Looking at their apoplectic rage, Leng Mingshu felt a wave of sorrow crash over her. Sorrow for her Senior Sister, who now had no hope of recovery. And a cold, sharp fury at Jiang Xun.

But she knew this was not the time for grief.

“Sisters, we will go to Azure Mystic.” Her voice was ice. “Follow me to the Secret Hall.”

“We will discuss…”

“The destruction of Azure Mystic!”

Previously, they had moved in shadows to avoid leaks. But with the Cold Dew day approaching and the sect pushed to the brink of madness, secrecy was no longer a luxury they cared for.

It was time to plan the war.

While the Bibo Sect was consumed by humiliation and rage, deep within the Heaven-Leveling Mountains, the “shameless scoundrel” himself was faring no better.

“Pfft!”

Jiang Xun collapsed against a tree, coughing violently. Blood poured from his mouth, staining the ground. With shaking hands, he upended bottles of healing pills, swallowing them by the handful.

Xu Wanqing had been generous. The rare pills she had provided were working. Despite the horrific injuries inflicted by the stone statues, the medicinal energy was slowly knitting his body back together.

Yet, there was no joy on Jiang Xun’s face. There was no triumph of a successful heist.

Instead, his expression was twisted into a mask of pure terror and resentment.

“Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!”

He clawed at his chest, his eyes darting around wildly.

“The Heaven-Bestowed Ruyi… why is my Heaven-Bestowed Ruyi gone?!”

“That is my Companion Immortal Artifact! Who? Who stole it?!”

“It can’t just disappear. That is a gift from the Heavens! It must be here somewhere!”

He patted his body frantically, searching his storage rings, his robes, the ground around him. His plan had gone awry at the most critical moment because the artifact had simply vanished.

Jiang Xun began to hyperventilate, descending into madness.

He knew exactly what that artifact meant. It was his greatest reliance, the foundation of his rise, and the key to his schemes. Losing it was a catastrophe beyond measure.

While Jiang Xun screamed into the empty forest, Gu Xiu stared at the object floating before him with a look of mild suspicion.

There, hovering in the air, was a jade Ruyi.

Jiang Xun’s… Heaven-Bestowed Ruyi.