Chapter 2: Gotta Run

Chapter 2: Time to Bolt

Having foreseen his life‑threatening crisis, Shang Yunduo turned fear into motivation and made a plan.

It had been too long since he read the novel; he couldn't recall many details. He first needed to get a clear picture of the sect’s overall situation.

To gather information, he had to leave his dwelling, so he also needed to learn Sword Flight. Then, while there was still time, he would learn some life‑saving abilities and find a chance to escape from Xiao Chi.

Relying on the spiritual power that his body naturally circulated, he crashed over a hundred times on the mountain peak before finally managing to fly, albeit barely. Then, nervously and unsteadily at low altitude, he flew to the school hall for new disciples. Disguised as someone inspecting the new disciples, he wandered around inside and out every day with his hands behind his back, stealthily auditing classes and learning from the teachers. He finally managed to grasp a bit of the basics of immortal cultivation and learned to recognize some characters.

Reflecting on how he’d gone from kindergarten to university, diligently studying for over a decade and even passing his graduation defense, only to transmigrate and become an illiterate—there was just no way to complain about it.

He huffed and puffed, consuming pills and burning the midnight oil to study from scratch, day and night, for several months. These cultivation techniques, like heavenly scripts, every single one of them, were all harder to memorize than the periodic table. Just when he was finally getting the hang of it and starting to feel something, Xiao Chi arrived, bringing the plot with him.

Several outer disciples who had some past acquaintance with them invited him and Xiao Chi to enter the Guyuan Secret Realm to find Floating Cloud Flowers.

This news was like a basin of ice‑cold water poured over his heart, chilling him to the bone.

It came. It came after all.

Although he couldn’t recall the name of the secret realm where “Shang Yunduo” in the book had died, he remembered it was a secret realm Xiao Chi entered before Foundation Building. They were joined by an inner sect senior brother skilled in identifying Spiritual Plants. Because of that senior brother, in addition to the herbs needed for the Foundation Building Pill, Xiao Chi also harvested several rare spiritual grasses, which he later traded for a dharma artifact he used throughout his early Foundation Establishment stage.

Shang Yunduo cautiously asked who else would be going, and his heart grew colder with each name. Sure enough, there was that senior brother skilled in identifying Spiritual Plants!

This wasn’t a treasure-hunting team; it was clearly a funeral procession for him.

At first, he thought about not going, just hole up in the sect and lie low.

According to the plot, their sect was pretty good—not too large, but established long enough to be counted among the notable in the cultivation world.

But Xiao Chi dealt him another killer move.

Xiao Chi was very reasonable and considerate: “Senior Brother, you haven’t recovered from your injuries yet. It’s fine to rest in the sect. When the sect’s assessment comes, you can simply compete for another Foundation Building Pill.”

“…”

“What ‘just’? It was a thunderbolt!”

That reminder jogged Shang Yunduo’s memory.

There was indeed such a plot point.

Xiao Chi gained an opportunity in the secret realm, broke through to the Qi Refining Ninth Layer before the assessment, and stunned everyone during the competition. After receiving the reward, he was ambushed and escaped only by relying on the artifact left behind by “Shang Yunduo.”

For that, Xiao Chi was deeply grateful to his Senior Brother Shang and resolved to avenge him even at the cost of his own life.

Shang Yunduo: “…”

Once, as a reader, he had thoroughly enjoyed this part of the story. But as “Shang Yunduo,” it was a different matter entirely.

Leaving aside Xiao Chi, the Taiyuan Sect! Such a large sect—yet so stingy toward its disciples, requiring them to pass assessments just to get a Foundation Building Pill? What assessment?!

Aren’t they ashamed?

Can he handle it?

According to the rules, disciples who had been in the inner sect for less than three years, like him and Xiao Chi, had to accept challenges from outer disciples and fight at least three matches.

In this world, Qi Refining had nine layers. He was at the full completion of the Qi Refining Ninth Layer. It goes without thinking, anyone bold enough to challenge him would likely be at the Qi Refining Eighth Layer or Ninth Layer. Once they fought, wouldn’t his meager foundation get him killed?

He couldn’t even pretend to be sick to avoid it. The Taiyuan Sect was extremely competitive and emphasized disciple training—cultivation, physique, and willpower all had to be honed. If he claimed illness, the sect would send someone to check; they might even alert his nominal master he had never met. Unless he was bedridden and unconscious, any minor injury would still require him to show up. Someone as lively as he was absolutely had to go.

Shang Yunduo didn’t dare to attract that kind of inspection or his master’s arrival. What if he was exposed?

He knew nothing about the former “Shang Yunduo”—neither his strength nor his background held up to questioning.

This cultivation world wasn’t a scientific world that didn’t believe in ghosts and gods. Soul seizure and shape‑shifting were openly recorded in many books. Would his and Xiao Chi’s strict father‑type master think he was a spy from a hostile sect, infiltrating the inner sect to steal something important?

The more he thought about it, the more frightened he became.

Anyway, he couldn’t withstand scrutiny.

Rather than wait to be interrogated, tortured, or subjected to soul search, he’d better seize the chance to flee and save his life.

Staying in the sect was impossible.

He had to skedaddle.

After some deliberation, Shang Yunduo decided to go with Xiao Chi and the others.

Leaving the sect required reporting in advance; he’d first find a legitimate reason to get out.

As he left, he gazed up at the towering Taiyuan Sect, standing majestic in the clouds and mist. He was truly reluctant to leave.

What a great sect, what a great backing—too bad he couldn’t rely on it much longer.

Shang Yunduo left heartbroken. On the road, he was gloomy and depressed. He couldn’t return to the Taiyuan Sect, couldn’t enter the secret realm, and had to leave the team.

He didn’t have the strength to protect his fellow disciples. Letting them mistakenly think he was a peak Qi Refining Ninth Layer cultivator and rely on him as a main force might actually harm them.

He was worrying about how to tell them, what excuse to use to slip away alone, and whether to keep pretending his old injury kept him from displaying his full strength. Then a group of rogue cultivators approached and asked if they wanted to team up to find the Midnight Lotus.

A turning point!

Shang Yunduo didn’t know what Midnight Lotus was—it wasn’t in his memory—but with the senior brother skilled in identifying spiritual plants around, he didn’t need to look through the sect‑provided spirit plant manual.

He didn’t care about flowers or plants. He didn’t even remember if this event appeared in the novel. What mattered was having an excuse to break away from the team and distance himself from Xiao Chi. Unexpectedly, the Midnight Lotus perfectly met all his needs.

It could heal injuries, and its associated Fire Toad and Cold Toad were useful for Fire Spirit Root and Water Spirit Root cultivators. This was a perfect excuse delivered right to his door. If he wasn’t interested, he’d seem utterly lacking in ambition.

After inquiring further, he learned that the secret realm containing the Midnight Lotus forest was discovered by a few rogue cultivators. But there was a barrier around it, plus demonic beasts along the way, so they had to find helpers.

It was hard to say whether those rogue cultivators were lucky or unlucky.

Just as the Guyuan Secret Realm was about to appear, nearby sects had sent out disciples, and the small town where they were staying had gathered many cultivators waiting for the secret realm to appear.

There were plenty of cultivators skilled in combat and formations, and everyone was itching to go.

However, when they asked about the location, the excitement died down. Traveling to that valley by flying chariot, as fast as theirs, would take seven or eight days. Adding the time to break the barrier, fight for the treasure, and return, the round trip would take at least half a month—and they might miss the entry opportunity for the Guyuan Secret Realm.

They could only choose between Floating Cloud Flowers and Midnight Lotus.

The cultivators were quite unwilling.

But Shang Yunduo was thrilled.

Sure enough, Xiao Chi was the protagonist, and as a transmigrator into the book, he too was a child of fortune.

He didn't need to say anything; the junior fellow apprentices with Water Spirit Root and Fire Spirit Root in the group had already come up with reasons why he had to go.

Shang Yunduo thought with relief, he'd been lucky since he was a kid!

Xiao Chi was still torn.

His talent wasn't high; if he missed out on this secret realm, he might never have another chance to reach Foundation Establishment. But he couldn't bear to abandon his injured senior brother, who had no idea that his senior brother, now inhabited by a different soul, was already full of yearning for a new, free life.

It had been so long that Shang Yunduo couldn't recall who killed him in the novel. As parting approached, he seized the moment to remind Xiao Chi: "Be careful when you enter the secret realm, especially near the water, and watch out for sneak attacks from disciples of other sects."

He remembered that there was a fast Fish Demon in the water that had bitten many people to death. Later, during the fight for the Floating Cloud Flower, it was mostly human cultivators attacking each other. In the book, that's when "Shang Yunduo" got killed.

"Oh, and I've heard there are many Spiritual Plants in the swamps to the north of the secret realm, but be careful of the moths there—they're all poisonous. Do you have any insect-repelling and detoxification pills? Remember to bring them."

Xiao Chi, stuck in his dilemma, felt even guiltier and couldn't help saying, "Senior Brother, maybe I should go with you..."

"Don't!" Shang Yunduo quickly said. Now, in his eyes, Xiao Chi was like an expensive bomb he couldn't risk setting off—good as he was, he dared not get close.

Shang Yunduo spoke with earnest frustration, as if wishing iron could become steel: "Your opportunity lies in the secret realm. This chance for Foundation Establishment only comes once every thirty years—how can you miss it!"

Xiao Chi: "But..."

Shang Yunduo: "You must seize it! Make good friends, cultivate well, and strive to reach Foundation Establishment as soon as possible." And find the girl who isn't afraid of "blowing up"—she's your true destined teammate!

Shang Yunduo thought to himself.

He remembered that Xiao Chi met the female lead in the secret realm. If he didn't go, wouldn't he miss that? If Xiao Chi didn't meet her, the female lead would be forced into a political marriage by her family. That marriage partner wasn't a good person—he couldn't afford to let the butterfly effect ruin the female lead's good marriage.

Thinking of this, he gave Xiao Chi one copy of each talisman he had three or more of; for those with fewer, he gave one or two; for those with many, he gave half. He also gave Xiao Chi a bottle of qi-replenishing pills.

Shang Yunduo knew he could never repay the life-saving debt, but he also couldn't repay it with his life. He couldn't take the hits for Xiao Chi anymore. He hoped these things would help Xiao Chi have a smooth journey through the secret realm without him.

Xiao Chi was shocked and tried to refuse, but Shang Yunduo insisted. Xiao Chi was deeply grateful, his eyes reddening, which made the other disciples' eyes redden too—with envy.

Shang Yunduo had always been a loner in the outer sect, cold to everyone. Only Xiao Chi, with his good temper, had some friendship with him. Later, they entered the inner sect together, and it was said they had a close relationship, but no one expected it to be this close!

Was Senior Brother Shang the type who was outwardly cold but inwardly warm, not good with words, yet exceptionally thoughtful and considerate?

Shang Yunduo, however, smiled awkwardly.

In the novel, Xiao Chi inherited Shang Yunduo's storage pouch and fared relatively smoothly in the early Foundation Establishment stage. But he, the current Shang Yunduo, was fragile. He needed to keep the magical instruments and pills for himself, especially the armor that in the book took three blows for Xiao Chi before breaking—he had to wear it himself.

He hadn't had time to learn much about pills. The storage pouch was mostly filled with Qi Recovery Pills for replenishing spiritual power. He didn't recognize the others, so he could only give Xiao Chi a few that he'd tried and knew were safe.

His storage pouch also had many herbs, some useful for refining Foundation Building Pills, but none as rare as the Floating Cloud Flower. They could be obtained within the sect, so he decided to keep them. He couldn't return to the Taiyuan Sect, and in the future, he might need these herbs more than Xiao Chi.

As for the body-tempering technique, he remembered that Xiao Chi would obtain a better one in the late Foundation Establishment stage, so he decided not to give it now. If he gave everything away like parting gifts for a life-and-death separation, it might arouse Xiao Chi's and the other disciples' suspicion. If they caught on that he didn't even plan to go back to the sect, that would be trouble.

Betraying your sect is a big deal in this world.

Scared that Xiao Chi would overthink it, Shang Yunduo sweet-talked him: "If I have time, I'll meet y'all at the secret realm. You can return the leftover pills and talismans to me then."

So that's what Senior Brother meant! Xiao Chi felt way more at ease.

Senior Brother's sword was a Zhaoyang spirit treasure. Flying at full speed, it was much faster than the flying chariot they borrowed from the sect. If the Gu Yuan Secret Realm opened later than last time, he'd be able to make it back.

"Alright, we'll wait for you at the secret realm, Senior Brother!"

"Mm!" Shang Yunduo nodded calmly, thinking, Don't worry, I'm so not coming back!

He would stay far away, never getting near that deadly place.

After saying goodbye, he shoved the compass and map of the Gu Yuan Secret Realm, borrowed from the sect, all into Xiao Chi's hands. Shang Yunduo felt light as a feather—finally! Thank the heavens, he'd finally offloaded the burden!

Not daring to linger, he led two outer disciples named Yan Jia and Wang Ming off the flying boat and headed west to catch up with the rogue cultivators who had already set out for the Midnight Lotus.

Once they were far away, Shang Yunduo rode his sword and looked back on the sly.

Sigh...

Xiao Chi, Taiyuan Sect...

What a pity.

When he could no longer see the flying boat, he couldn't help but feel lost.

The world was vast, but he had no friends, no acquaintances, and no place to return to.

Seeing him frequently looking back with a solemn expression, Yan Jia and Wang Ming thought he was worried about Xiao Chi and the others, or whether they could find the secret realm. They sighed to themselves, thinking that Senior Brother Shang was indeed as loyal as Senior Brother Xiao. Likes attract likes; they had misjudged him before. They bravely tried to comfort him: "Senior Brother, don't worry. Senior Brother Xiao and the others will surely reach the secret realm smoothly!"

"Mm? Mm." Shang Yunduo wasn't worried one bit about whether they would make it. He was more worried about whether the three of them could find the Midnight Lotus.

He at least knew a bit about the Gu Yuan Secret Realm, but this forest was a total mystery to him!

He felt guilty, very guilty.

Places where rare spiritual herbs grow must be pretty dangerous, right?

He wondered if his cram-session cultivation would hold them back.

Maybe... he should find a chance to slip away!

Author's Note:

Xiao Chi (moved): Senior Brother!

Yun Duo: Ugh, I'm so done.

Other disciples: We totally misjudged Senior Brother!

Yun Duo: Nah, you're only just starting to misjudge him.